Kerala Establishes Wellness Clinics for Women Focused on Prevention and Care

Thiruvananthapuram: To promote the physical and mental well-being of women, Kerala has introduced specialised clinics called Women’s Wellness Clinics. This is the first initiative of its kind in India aimed specifically at women's health protection. For the past two months, these clinics have been functioning within people's health centers (PHC). The state-level inauguration of the project will be held on September 16.

These Women’s Wellness Clinics will operate on Tuesdays. The Minister emphasised that all health workers should communicate information about the clinics to the general public. The initiative aims to prevent lifestyle diseases related to women through screening for diabetes, blood pressure, and addressing nutritional deficiencies. The Minister added that the clinics would also assist in managing issues like abnormal bleeding and menopause.

People’s health centres across the state operate with goals of disease prevention, eradication, and health protection. Various campaigns are also being run through these centers under themes like ‘Health is Happiness’, ‘Eliminate Cancer’, and ‘From Malnutrition to Growth — Kerala’ (VIVA).

It was during the tenure of the current government that 5,415 people’s health centers were established. Primary health centers at the panchayat level were upgraded into family health centers. From the taluk hospital level upwards, specialty services were introduced. OPD (Outpatient Department) transformation has also been initiated.

The number of dialysis centers increased from 12 units to 126. Cath labs were established in district hospitals — most recently in Kasaragod and Wayanad. Construction has been completed in Alappuzha, and Idukki has also finished basic infrastructure works. District hospitals now offer super-speciality services, and efforts are ongoing to develop medical colleges into centres of excellence.

Kerala has also achieved significant progress in medical education. It has become a state with medical colleges in every district. During this government’s tenure alone, medical colleges were started in four districts, and 21 nursing colleges were established by both government and private entities.

In the 2023–24 period, Kerala identified amoebic meningoencephalitis through medical testing. Although the initial test results were negative, further investigation revealed that amoeba was the actual cause of the disease.

The mortality rate due to amoebic meningoencephalitis has been significantly reduced in Kerala. This success was achieved through collective action. The "Water is Life" campaign is also being conducted as part of the awareness efforts. The Health Minister noted that a student who was undergoing treatment for amoebic meningoencephalitis and fungal infection at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has recovered, and that this is a first-of-its-kind recovery globally.

In a national survey, Kerala was found to have the lowest infant mortality rate in the country — even lower than the United States. The Minister congratulated all those who contributed to this achievement.