The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to keep open 16 primary health centres in 16 boroughs during Durga Puja, civic officials said on Monday.
The centres will conduct Covid (RT-PCR), dengue and malaria tests, said an official of the civic body’s health department. A doctor will be on duty at each of the centres.
Covid vaccination, however, will not be conducted between Saptami and Dashami, said the official.
Civic officials have decided against shutting down all centres because dengue and malaria cases usually go up during this time of the year.
Moreover, as the threat of a surge in Covid cases is looming because of crowding in markets for several weeks now, the civic body has decided to keep open Covid testing facilities in each borough.
“We are keeping one primary health centre open in all boroughs on all four days of Puja — Saptami to Dashami. These centres also offer Covid, dengue and malaria tests. A doctor will be available at the centres. Besides, the borough’s health office will remain open, too,” said a senior official of the KMC.
“Our employees in the testing laboratories have been working relentlessly for months. They also need a break, which is why we have kept all but one centres closed in each borough,” said the KMC official.
“If one clinic in each borough offers tests, it will ensure that people living in all corners of the city have at least one such facility open near their homes,” said an official.