PRAYAGRAJ, July 13 -- In a boost to rural healthcare infrastructure, the Uttar Pradesh government has approved the construction of 44 new health sub-centres across Prayagraj district, with the projects set to enter the execution stage this month.The district administration has initiated the process for release of funds and floating construction tenders. Officials said land has already been identified for all the proposed facilities across different development blocks. The 44 sub-centres will be taken up in the first phase, while additional centres may be sanctioned in future based on population growth and local healthcare requirements. Prayagraj currently has 24 community health centres (CHCs), 84 primary health centres (PHCs) and 583 rural health sub-centres, many of which have been upgraded as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs under the Ayushman Bharat programme. Once the newly approved facilities become operational, the number of rural health sub-centres in the district will rise to 627.The new sub-centres will provide outpatient consultations, immunisation, antenatal and postnatal care, maternal and child health services, treatment of common ailments, basic diagnostic support and essential medicines. Officials said the facilities would improve access to primary healthcare in villages, reduce travel time for patients and ease the burden on CHCs and district hospitals. The state government has directed the district panchayat to release funds for the projects, and construction is expected to begin soon after the tendering process is completed. District Panchayat chairperson VK Singh said the long-pending proposal has received government approval and tenders will be issued soon. Officials said the expansion will strengthen rural healthcare by improving last-mile service delivery, immunisation, disease surveillance and family welfare programmes....