"Continuing with our agenda of fulfilling Samajwadi Party manifesto promising free medical care and better health care facilities, we are opening 100 urban health outposts in 35 districts of the state next month", Health and Family Welfare Minister Ahmad Hasan told PTI.
These health posts will be opened in slum areas on rented accommodation, where an MBBS doctor, one ANM and a nurse would be posted to take care of common diseases, he said.
"The idea behind the project is that people get free medical care and that too in their area", Hasan said, adding initially this facility would be available in 35 districts and in near future all 75 districts of the state would be covered.
"The unique feature of this service would be that no money would be charged from the people. Unlike in government hospitals, there will be no need for registration to avail of the facility", NRHM Mission Director AK Ghosh said.
Besides, treatment and medicine for all common diseases like cough, cold, diarrhoea and others at these health posts, antenatal checkups and all vaccines would also be available there for children, he said.
The health department of the state, which was mired in controversy due to alleged NRHM scam in previous regime, had last month launched "Samajwadi health service" by launching ambulances available on call centre number 108.
"It's a challenge for the department to shed its bad image, which it had presented due to corrupt practices in previous regime", the minister said, adding strict directions have been issued to doctors and department staff to shun corruption.
"Besides, warning them we have also announced sting operation to check the ground reality and punish the corrupt", Hasan said, adding over 1000 ambulances would soon be given to the health department.