The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat launched the ‘War against leukorrhea and Anaemia’ programme of state health department here on Wednesday. He also launched ‘Asha- Kiran’ an on line system and mobile app for swift payment of remuneration for Asha health workers.
Speaking on the occasion, Rawat said that it a matter of concern that the infant and mother mortality rate has not shown desired declination in the State. He called upon the health department to take up a target of reducing these deaths by five percent in this year. The CM said that good work done in some districts of the state on this front is getting offset by dismal results from districts like Haridwar, Pauri and Almora. He said that nutritious food is best supplement and there is a need to sensitize the Asha workers, ANMs and traditional Dais on nutrition. Appreciating the decision to promote usage of iron cooking utensils, he said that his government is ready to waive off VAT on these utensils. linking leukorrhea with sanitary hygiene, Rawat said that the government plans to distribute sanitary napkins to about 2 lakh female labourers registered with the department of labour and all the girl students of inter colleges of state. He said that the schemes like Khilati Kaliyan, Aann Prashann and Matratva Samman Divas should be linked and field workers of health department should also be present at the camps organized at Anganwadi kendras on fifth day of every month. Expressing happiness that the remuneration of Asha workers would be transferred directly to their accounts by introduction of on line system, the CM said that the Uttarakhand is the only state which is paying a fixed stipend to Asha workers in addition to work based incentive. He informed that the state government has made revolving funds of `5 crore each for Anganbadi and Asha workers and `1 Crore for Bhojanmatas so that they receive some lump sum amount when they retire.
The state health minister Surendra Singh Negi said that the Asha workers are the foundation of health system of the state. He said that for good health of a child it is necessary that the mother is also healthy. Negi said that large numbers of females in state are suffering from Anaemia and on 9th of every month, health checks for this disease and pre pregnancy tests would be conducted in all the health centres of the state.
It is worth mentioning that the 45.1 percent of females in state are suffering from anaemia and despite of the fact that 93.7 percent pregnant women are registered at health centres, the problem of malnutrition and anaemia persists.
The programme was attended by Principal Secretary, health Om Prakash, health secretary Bhupinder Kaur Olakh, Director General (DG) health Kusum Narriyal, representatives of State Bank of India, Vodaphone, senior officers of health department and large numbers of Asha workers were present on the occasion.