Rural Jhansi witnessing a silent transformation in health services
MODERNISATION 283 sub-health centres in gram panchayats modernised, even as work is going on to equip the centres with modern equipment and additional human resource.
LUCKNOW: The rural areas of Jhansi district are witnessing a silent transformation these days in their health services.
The dilapidated health centres, which were usually deserted, are abuzz with activities these days. Their buildings have been renovated, new equipment installed and along with offices for medical officers, separate offices have been constructed for frontline health workers -- ASHA and ANMs.
Termed as ‘Operation Pinkline’, the aim of the initiative is to provide better health services to the villagers residing in the far-flung areas of the district.
The 283 sub-health centres located in gram panchayats in the five tehsils of the district have also been modernised. Now, work is going on to equip the centres with modern equipment and additional human resource.
An initiative of Jhansi district magistrate Andra Vamsi, the sub-health centres have been converted into first referral centres for the villagers who had to trudge to distant primary health centres and community health centres for treatment, immunisation and deliveries.
The metamorphosis of the rural health services has been launched when Jhansi too is battling the Covid pandemic. Covid-19 has infected 3,784 people since the start of the pandemic in
March. While 2,937 have recovered, 90 have died. There were 757 active Covid cases on Monday.
Considered the gateway of Uttar Pradesh, there was a large influx of migrant workers in Jhansi when the central government announced lockdown on March 24. The district managed to check the spread of the infection even as around 10 lakh migrants traversed through the district to reach their homes in various districts of Uttar Pradesh. After ‘unlock’ began, when various activities and movement of people started, there was spike in cases in the district.
Vamsi said: “Amid the fight against Covid, we observed that the infection was intense in urban hubs of the district, whereas the rural population managed to check the infection with better surveillance and implementation of Covid protocol. Merely 13.9% of the total Covid cases have been reported in rural areas. The villagers immediately alerted the local health personnel if any person had symptoms. This helped us not only in saving the patient but to launch contact tracing immediately.”
Vamsi further said: “We decided to strengthen the health services in the rural areas to reward the villagers for their inspiring fight against Covid by providing them quality health service. The focus was on nonCovid health facilities and patients as well.”
The district administration and health department is working to promote institutional deliveries, provide obstetrician service to women, enhance natal and pre-natal care, provide universal immunization, early detection of ILI (influenza-like illness) and SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) and strengthen Covid surveillance. The efficient working at health centres has eased pressure on the PHCs and CHCs.”
To enhance human resource at the health centres, recruitment of medical officers, nurses, para-medical staff, technicians and other staff is continuing simultaneously.
Soon all the 283 sub-health centres will have adequate staff to manage the patients. Also, the village health committees have been activated, Vamsi said.
The renovation of the subhealth centres have been done with the fund released by the panchayati raj department and Ayushman fund. The gram pradhans, too, joined the effort to improve the health facilities, he said.
Rizwana Khan, an ANM working in villages of Babina tehsil, said the district administration has recognized the service of ASHA and ANMs in the fight against Covid. Separate offices for the frontline health workers in the sub-health centres will add to our dignity, she said.
Social activist Sanjay Singh, who is working on livelihood and water conservation in rural areas of Jhansi, said: “The effort of the Jhansi district administration to strengthen health facilities in rural areas will check spread of the disease. Women and children who face problems in visiting PHCs and CHCs will get health service in their villages.”