The European Union has endorsed the claims of the Chhattisgarh Government regarding steep decline in the infant and maternal mortality rate in the State.
A representative of the European Union said the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate had come down drastically in the State due the efforts made in the health and family welfare sectors in the 15th meeting of the Programme Steering Committee chaired by Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand here on Thursday, officials stated.
The Chief Secretary reviewed the schemes jointly operated by the European Union and the State Government in Chhattisgarh during the meeting.
Health, Family Wefare, School Education and Forest Department schemes and their progress was reviewed besides an Action plan was also prepared for the future programmes.
During 2013-14, about 9,000 teachers were trained under the joint co-operation of the State Government and European Union. In the current year 30,742 teachers are being trained, it was informed in the meeting.
A report of the Joint Review Mission pertaining to the schemes operated by the European Union was also presented in the meeting.
Principal Secretary, Health Department, Dr Alok Shukla and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
Chhattisgarh has reported a significant decline in the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) from 61 per 1000 in year 2006 to 47 in year 2013, officials informed earlier this month.
The was due to promising results derived out of services such as vaccination programmes carried out across the State, they had stated.
This apart, the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), which was 407 per one lakh deliveries in 1999-2001 has also declined to 230 per one lakh deliveries in year 2012-13.
The Rate of Malnutrition (low weight), which was 47 per cent in year 2005-06, has decreased to 32.51 in year 2014. Under Sanjeevani Sahayta Kosh Yojana, the patients of BPl category and beneficiary families of Chief Minister Food Grain Assistant Scheme are given financial aid for treatment of 30 critical diseases.
This scheme includes provision of maximum financial aid of Rs1.5 lakh. Now the provision of Rs2 lakh for treatment of head injury and that of Rs3 lakh for kidney transplant has been included under the scheme. During the last 14 years of Chhattisgarh’s formation, health services for common people in Chhattisgarh have widely expanded. Especially the last onedecade has been the decade of development for health services in the State.
The State Government is operating 27 district hospitals, 15 civil hospitals, 29 city civil hospitals, 156 community health centre, 783 primary health centres and 5161 sub-health centres across the State. Moreover, three leprosy home and hospitals, 10 city family welfare centres and polytechnic are also functioning in the State.
In all these Government hospitals, several schemes including Mother-Infant Health Programme, Janani-Suraksha Yojana, and Family Welfare Programme along with many Nation Health Programmes are being conducted.
Under National Blindness Prevention Programme, as many as 44,611 cataract operations have been performed in Chhattisgarh in year 2013-14 (till December 2014). Eye test of nearly 9.75 lakh school students was done and 14,108 children were distributed free spectacles.
Under Mahtari Express Scheme pregnant women and those with infants of age below one year are provided free ambulance service at the time of need. The State Government has launched free ambulance service under this scheme that are available for beneficiaries at Toll-free number 102.
The Mahtari Express Ambulance reaches at the doorstep of the callers to take the patients to hospitals and also drops them back to home after treatment on their request. Under the scheme, total 300 Mahatari Express ambulances have been made available across the State.
The Chief Minister had inaugurated this scheme in Bilaspur on August 23, 2013 and in Raipur on September 23, 2013. Nearly 4.27 lakh beneficiaries have availed this scheme across the State.
Moreover, the ‘Dial-104’ Arogya Health Advice Service have been started to provide health related advice to the people of the State. The Chief Minister had inaugurated this scheme on September 23,2013 in Raipur.
The State Government is also conducting Muktanjali Hearse Service, under which hearses service is provided in government hospitals of all 27 districts of the State on Toll-free number 1099.
Chief Minister Raman Singh commenced this scheme on April 29, 2013 in Raipur and dedicated 60 Muktanjali hearses to the general public. Under this scheme, mortal remains of patients, who pass away in hospital, are transported to their home free of cost.
Under Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme, each family in the State is provided Smart Card-based free treatment facility of upto Rs30,000 per year in registered hospitals of the State. This scheme is being implemented on the lines of National Health Insurance Scheme.
The Chief Minister had inaugurated Chirayu Vaahan Yojana this year on the occasion of Independence Day August 15, 2014. Under this scheme, teams of doctors and paramedical staff conduct visits to schools across the State for health checkup of school students.
As per the provisions of the scheme, students suffering from various diseased are marked and are provided free medical treatment.