City council allocates $1.1M for new Bronx medical facility

WEST FARMS, the Bronx (PIX11) — $1.1 million allocated by the New York City Council is going toward building a new medical facility in the Bronx.

The new facility is part of an ongoing effort to bring quality health care services to the borough. It is expected to open in spring 2023 in the West Farms section of the Bronx.

The Bronx was hard hit when the COVID-19 pandemic started, leaving Bronxites with limited options for care. Leaders hope the new facility will improve health equity and bring more access to racial minorities.

“When you look at the Bronx, we’re always the last with everything good and the first for everything bad, and that’s something that we’re really, really trying to fix, something we’ve been addressing for years,” said New York City Council member Kevin Riley.

Riley and fellow council member Rafael Salamanca partnered up to present Montefiore Medical Group with the check. Before getting into government, Salamanca worked in health care. “I understand the value of ensuring that health care facilities have the resources that they need so that they can provide quality health services to our communities,” Salamanca said.

The facility will offer primary care focusing on family medicine, so patients can be seen from birth to the end of their lives. There will be pediatric care, adult medicine, women’s health, behavioral health services and more.

“We don’t want this just to be the place to come when you’re sick. We’re into preventative care. I’m a primary care doctor. I like healthy people and I want to keep you healthy, so we want to welcome and have a place where people feel like they can do that,” said Sybil Hodgson, senior director of chief medical services for Montefiore Medical Group.