Janjgir-Champa administration rolls out Unified Rural Health Drive

RAIPUR: In a significant step towards improving healthcare accessibility in rural areas, the Janjgir-Champa district administration in Chhattisgarh has launched a new, unified health campaign. This initiative streamlines medical screenings, which previously required multiple visits to villages for various health programs.

District Collector Akash Chikara told TOI that under the new campaign, Rural Health Officers (RHO) and Mitanins (community health workers) conduct comprehensive door-to-door screenings. These screenings address a range of health issues, including tuberculosis, leprosy, cataracts, and disabilities, as well as the distribution and verification of Ayushman Bharat and sickle cell cards.

The primary goal is to reach local residents, ensure early detection, and provide necessary treatment, thus reducing the burden on villagers who can now access essential health services in a single visit, he added.

The campaign covered 336 Gram Panchayats across five development blocks and 192 wards in 11 urban local bodies, ensuring that health services were delivered directly to people's doorsteps. Mitanins, along with RHOs and other medical staff, visited various villages and conducted door-to-door surveys, screening each family member for multiple health issues.

This unified campaign, designed to save time and provide convenience, offered six critical health services under one coordinated effort. These services included the issuance and distribution of Ayushman cards under the Ayushman Bharat Abhiyan, intensive TB testing with sputum examination, and skin biopsy examinations for leprosy detection.

Additionally, the campaign focused on creating and distributing sickle cell cards, identifying cataract and low vision patients for spectacles or necessary operations, and issuing disability certificates and UDID cards to those in need.

The objective was to achieve complete coverage, ensuring no one was overlooked and that benefits were delivered directly to people's doorsteps, with focused monitoring to maintain the quality of the survey.

As part of the health survey in Janjgir-Champa, teams aimed to complete assessments of 50 households each day within a set timeframe. A detailed monitoring system was implemented, with key officials like the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) serving as the block nodal officer and the CEO JanPad as the assistant nodal officer. Daily video conferences were held by the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) and the CEO of the Zila Panchayat for progress reviews, along with semi-weekly district-level evaluations.

To ensure no potential patient was missed, daily reports were compiled through Google Forms, listing all identified cases. Follow-up visits by ophthalmic specialists and medical lab technicians (MLTs) focused on eye health and leprosy testing. An Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign was also launched to raise awareness about skin diseases and replace the stigma associated with leprosy, said an official.

Kranti Kurrey, a patient from Kodabhat, shared, "The sickle cell card was delivered to my doorstep. Initially, visiting health centers was difficult due to time-consuming procedures, but with the ongoing Swastha Janjgir Champa Abhiyan (SJCA) 2024, it was very easy to get sickle cell screening. My family members also received screening."

Another patient from the village of Churtela reported that a rash on their body was examined by a doctor and diagnosed as leprosy. "I am currently administering the prescribed medications," the patient added.