The UHWCs, intended to function as ancillary units of Urban Primary Health Centres, are located in areas under civic bodies such as corporations including the Greater Chennai Corporation and municipalities.

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Madurai, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Vellore were among the regions where the services could be availed, an official release here said.

Each UHWC was set up at a cost of Rs 25 lakh and in total, Rs 125 Crore is the cost of the initiative to set up the 500 new facilities.

A doctor, nurse, health inspector and a sanitary worker would be on duty in every UHWC, which would work between 8 AM to noon and from 4 PM to 8 PM to cater to about 25,000 people in a given area.

Totally, 500 doctors, as many nurses, health inspectors and sanitary workers have been appointed. The UHWCs would offer a wide range of healthcare services including maternity care and yoga.

Health Minister Ma Subramanian, Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and top officials participated.

As per a media report in The Hindu, the newly established centres would provide a wide range of primary health care services, covering maternal health, neonatal and infant health, adolescent health, family planning, management of communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases, basic ophthalmic, ENT and oral health, elderly and palliative health care, emergency medical care and mental health.

Twelve comprehensive primary health care services shall be provided to a defined population of 20,000 to 25,000 from 8 a.m. to noon and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m at the Urban Health and Wellness Centres (UHWCs).

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