The city of Vicksburg officially opens its clinic with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning.

The facility, known as the “The Clinic,” opened for employees Nov. 1, but officials delayed the ribbon cutting until this month. The facility is west of Promise Hospital on the Merit Health River Region West campus off North Frontage Road.

“This is for the public to come take a look at it and the family members (of employees) to see it,” Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said.

He said the clinic has received a good response from employees since it opened.

“The numbers look real good,” he said. “I’m told four of five employees are using, and it’s getting good use from the police department and fire department.”

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the clinic in July, approving a partnership with the Southern Health Network to provide a nurse practitioner, a health and wellness plan, and a nurse navigator who will work with members and their physicians to improve health care.

The program will cost the city $37,000 a month. However, if after the first six months there are no savings in medical costs, the city will not have to pay until savings are shown.

Flaggs said at the time the partnership was approved employees would not have to pay a copay to use this clinic, adding it will help employees and their dependents develop healthy lifestyles and preventive care, and possibly provide prescription drugs at a discount.

The clinic is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and will be staffed by a nurse practitioner.

According to information distributed to city employees, the clinic will provide care for minor illnesses and injuries, health and lifestyle education, health coaching and behavior modification, health risk assessments, annual physicals and help with handling health care issues like diabetes.