A state-of-the-art mother and childcare hub (MCH), accommodating around 650 beds, highest in the country, is all set to come up inside the government Diamond Harbour Medical College Hospital (DHMCH) complex in South 24-Parganas district soon.

The first five floor of the 10-storied MCH building is nearing completion and outdoor patient department (OPD) clinics for newborns, children and mothers will be operational by April, one month before 1 June, when Lok Sabha polls in nine constituencies of Diamond Harbour, Joynagar, Mathurapur, Jadavpur, Bashirhat, Barasat, Dum Dum, Kolkata South and Kolkata North will be held in the last lap of the seven-phase general elections starting from 19 April.

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“The MCH, a project of around Rs 70 crore, will be a complete and comprehensive state-of-the-art treatment centre for mothers, newborns and children. It will have the highest number of 625 to 650 beds in the country. The first five floors of the 10-storied building are nearing completion,” Prof (Dr) Utpal Dan, principal of DHMCH, told The Statesman on Wednesday.

“The state government pumps 80 per cent of the project cost while the rest comes from the Centre. Apart from the maternity unit, all facilities for newborn care and gynaecology treatment for women of all ages will also be there in the MCH,” Prof Dan said.

Around 150 beds would be earmarked for treatment of neonatal babies, sick newborns and paediatric care. There will be no unit for major surgical cases owing to non-availability of paediatric surgeons and infrastructure facilities.

Surgical cases would be referred to other medical colleges and hospitals where infrastructures for paediatric surgeries are available, he said.

“We have already submitted a nearing-completion report of the G+ four floor plan of the building to the health department. With the permission of the Swasthya Bhaban, initial healthcare services like setting up OPD clinics and preliminary investigation facilities for patients can be started soon on the first five floors,” he added.