The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat initiated the 104 integrated helpline service at CM residence Annexe on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the toll free helpline aimed to provide advice, information and grievance redressal would prove a boon for the people. He called upon the health department to undertake a campaign to popularize the 104 service so that its benefit can be availed by everyone. Rawat expressed concern on the fact that the infant and mother mortality rate in Uttarakhand is still on higher side. He said that the State Government has provided a health cover of `1.75 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojna (MSBY) and claimed that Uttarakhand is the only State in the country to offer such a high cover. Rawat requested the senior doctors of State health service to volunteer for duties in the health camps which the Government plans to undertake in the remote areas of the State and offered the helicopter services to ferry them. The Chief Minister urged the top officials of health department to increase inter coordination so that problems of the health workers like Asha and ANMs are sorted out. He declared that the State Government has decided to provide a fixed monthly remuneration of `2000 per month to Asha workers.
The health minister of Uttarakhand Surendra Singh Negi said that start of 104 services is a great step for the State health services. He said that the Union Government has given clearance for the project under which the State Government would get a loan of 125 Million dollar from the World Bank. This amount would be used to prepare a robust healthcare infrastructure in the State, he informed. The minister informed that the State has demanded 50 more ambulances for the 108 services from the Union Government. Elaborating about the 104 integrated help line, the National Health Mission (NHM) mission director, Neeraj Khairwal said that one can get information about all services of the State health department by making a call on 104. The adolescents would get counseling from the experts about the physical and mental changes they are undergoing. He said that grievance redressal would be a major service under 104 in which one can complain about the problem and complaint would be redressed within a fixed time period. The 104 service is initiated under joint aegis of (NHM) and Medical Health and Family welfare department.
The integrated service would be executed by the GVK EMRI which is operating the 108 emergency service and Khushiyon Ki Sawari ambulances in the state. The programme was attended by the Principal Secretary health Om Prakash, Director General (DG) health Kusum Narriyal, Director NHM Dr R S Aswal, state head of GVK EMRI Manish Tinku and others.