Wichita, one of the worst cities for allergies nationally, gets some extra help

During the seven years internist Neelu Kalra practiced medicine in Hutchinson, where she focused on treating patients with allergy, asthma and immunology issues, there was one question she said she got over and over.

“I was asked almost five to seven times every day, ‘Why are you not in Wichita?’ ”

She said the Wichita area is underserved in the field.

“People are just desperate, desperate for an allergist here. It’s very unfortunate.”

That’s why she decided to open One Allergy Asthma and Immunology Center at 8110 E. 32nd St. North, near K-96 and North Rock Road.

“The care was not accessible at all,” Kalra said of what she called a dearth of services in the area.

Kalra is from the East Coast, and her husband is an aerospace engineer, which is why they moved to Kansas.

Patient relationships particularly interest Kalra, she said, which is why she said joining a corporate practice didn’t make sense for her.

“Working for (a) corporation is not an easy thing . . . for any doctor to do.”

Kalra said it comes down to helping people and getting job satisfaction while doing it.

“You feel rewarded when people say, ‘Oh, my God, the difference you have made.’ ”

Staff from her Hutchinson office have joined her in Wichita, including three full-time workers and one part-time worker.

Kalra said she plans to hire more practitioners, too.

She said she’ll treat all ages. With Kansas generally ranking one of the worst places for allergies nationally, she said there are all kinds of people who need help with environmental and seasonal allergies along with chronic sinusitis.

Kalra also will treat asthma, food allergies, eczema and immune deficiencies among other things. Her clinic also will offer allergy shots and drops.

So far, the clinic mainly has been seeing patients Kalra already had at her previous clinic.

“Patients didn’t know where to go, so I’m just serving them first,” she said.

The clinic will celebrate a grand opening late this month and be fully open to everyone by then.

Patrick Ahern of NAI Martens handled the deal for Kalra’s new space.

With the new clinic, Kalra no longer will have to explain why she’s not in Wichita, and she’s eager to fill a need.

“This is the place to be for me.”

This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 1:36 PM.