‘Arogya Darpana’ Health Survey begins

• Community health workers go door-to-door
• Campaign covers houses in jurisdiction of five PHCs
• To alert people on Non-Communicable Diseases and take precautionary health measures
• Jayanagar Community Health Centre is Nodal Agency

Mysore/Mysuru: As part of an effort to check the health of the people in respect of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), community health workers attached to Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT), an NGO, are visiting door-to-door for ‘Arogya Darpana’ Health Survey under the National Urban Health Campaign.

The campaign, which was launched in the State in June last year, is now being carried out in the jurisdiction of five Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the city — Chamundipuram, Krishnamurthypuram, Vishweshwaranagar, Nachanahallipalya and Shanthinagar PHCs — covering  MCC Wards coming under Krishnamurthypuram, Jayanagar, Ashokapuram, J.P. Nagar and Shanthinagar localities. The Jayanagar Community Health Centre is the Nodal Agency for the survey.

KHPT health workers with a medical background will visit every household in these localities, armed with health kits and examine all the inmates of the house aged over 30 years for NCDs such as Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar etc.

The residents will be given a formatted health card, which they are required to fill up and handover to the health workers. The residents will be presented  a Body Mass Index (BMI) chart, which contains specific parameters on safe health limits. Residents will be advised on maintaining the specified parameters through regular health check-ups either at Government Hospitals or at private medical facilities, said Manjunath, a health worker, speaking to Star of Mysore. 

The health workers, after recording the data, will take regular feedbacks from the residents once in 20 or 30 days. After getting the feedback, the health workers will alert the residents on their health condition and will suitably advise them on getting treated, depending upon their condition. 

The main objective of the survey is to alert people on NCD (Non-communicable Diseases) health issues and take appropriate health measures.

The State Government implemented this important health initiative as a pilot project in 2017, during which the survey was carried out in Kumbarakoppal Primary Health Centre (PHC) jurisdiction. Enthused by the response, the Government has now extended the initiative to five other PHCs.

Comprehensive healthcare in wellness Centres soon: In another major health initiative, the Government plans to introduce comprehensive health care in wellness centres soon. Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) set up under ‘Ayushman Bharat’ to provide preventive, promotive, rehabilitative and curative care, will soon expand their services to elderly and palliative healthcare. 

Basic oral health care and care for common ophthalmic and ENT problems will be available at these centres. Mid-level healthcare providers and community health workers, who will be trained to offer these services, will also facilitate tele-consultation with a doctor at the nearest PHC, for those who require specific treatment.