The State government has decided to launch distribution of nutrition kits to pregnant women in nine selected districts as part of its efforts to reduce the cesarean (c-section) deliveries and improve institutional deliveries in public health facilities. It is also decided to distribute nutrition kits to tuberculosis patients in all districts.
The decision were taken at a teleconference held by Minister for Health and Finance T. Harish Rao on Monday to review the functioning of public health centres, medical officer, auxiliary nursing midwives (ANMs) and accredited social health activists (ASHA workers). He stated that postings would be given soon to 133 midwifery nurses.
He instructed the authorities to bring closed-circuit cameras installed in all 729 PHCs online by providing internet facility and also ensure steps for cent percent immunisation, including COVID-19 booster dose. Terming ASHA workers, ANMs and PHC health officers (doctors) as pillars of the public health sector, the Minister said detection of any disease in early stages would help speedy and complete recovery of patients.
Asking the authorities to conduct ante natal care camps every month without fail, he sought an explanation from low-scoring districts of Vikarabad, Jagtial, Nagarkurnool, Yadadri-Bhongir and Wanaparthy. ANC would help doctors prescribe supplements such as iron to pregnant women. He stated that nutrition kits would be distributed to anaemic pregnant women in nine districts soon.
The Minister pointed out that deliveries in private hospitals were high in the purview of 399 health sub-centres in Nizamabad, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Khammam, Mancherial, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Yadadri-Bhongir and Jagtial districts last month and told the authorities examine the reasons behind the trend so that shortcomings, if any, were attended and public health institutional deliveries were improved.
Stating that 80% deliveries were taking place in government hospitals in Medak and Mulugu districts, the Minister sought to know why it was not happening in other districts. He mentioned that 57.99% deliveries were done through C-Section last month and it was high in Hanmakonda, Jagtial, Jayashankar-Bhupalapalli, Karimnagar, Mahabubabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad and Rajanna-Sircilla districts.
He also wanted the authorities to take up distribution of nutrition kits to TB patients being given only in Siddipet and Wanaparthy districts in all districts by identifying the patients and registering their details online.
Mr. Harish Rao also told the authorities improve the out-patient check-ups in PHCs. Secretary (Health) S.A.M. Rizvi, Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Sweta Mohanty, Director of Health C. Srinivasa Rao and others participated.
