Assam adjudged third best in disease screening

GUWAHATI: Assam achieved the feat of the third best performing state in the category of non-communicable disease and common cancers screening among northeast, hilly and tribal states. The state health department team, headed by Assam National Health Mission (NHM) director Dr Lakshmanan S, received the honour at the Universal Health Coverage Day event in New Delhi on Monday.

NHM Assam was awarded the third rank by the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW). The central function was held in Delhi in the presence of all states to celebrate the Universal Health Coverage Day, which was organized by MoHFW, GoI and supported by the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), Jhpiego and the World Health Organization-India.

The best comprehensive primary health care (CPHC) team members from each state were also felicitated at the event. CPHC team members from Piazbari Sub Centre-Health and Wellness Centre from Dhubri district in west Assam got the award. The event was attended by Bharati Pravin Pawar, minister of state for health and family welfare, and senior officials of MoHFW, NHSRC, Jhpiego and WHO-India. On behalf of Assam, the award was received by Lakshmanan S along with other officers of NHM Assam.

"We were pushing hard for more screening but the award was something beyond our expectation," Lakshmanan told TOI. The event was organized as part of a month-long celebration of the 75th years of Azadi Ki Amrit Mahotsav in the country. During the month-long activities under Azadi Ki Amrit Mahotsav, field health workers carried out screening of non communicable diseases, wellness activities and generation of digital health ID among community members. The best three states in each category (screening, wellness and generation of health ID) were awarded by MoHFW.

"Building a healthcare system which is resilient and sturdy, forms the foundation of the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” said Pawar, who chaired the “Universal Health Coverage Day,2021” ceremony and the day-long workshop on technical discussions on the theme “Leave No One’s Health Behind: Invest in Health Systems For All”, she said.

The Union minister felicitated the states under the categories of “Best AB-HWC – Primary Healthcare Team Awards”, “Best Performing State/UT under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, “Screening of NCDs and common cancers at AB-HWCs”, “Creation of Digital Health IDs” and “PMJAY-NHA Awards”. An SMS feature was also launched under the NPCDCS (National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases and Stroke), which will help in creating awareness on non-communicable diseases.