The Telangana government is gearing up to create health profiles for 46 lakh women in the state through a new initiative targeting women’s self-help groups. Health Minister Damodar Raja Narsimha has instructed officials to kick off the program on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day. The initiative, named ‘Praja Palana–Pragati Pranalika,’ will span 99 days from March 6 to June 12, focusing on various health activities.
The program will be rolled out in four phases, with the initial phase emphasizing maternal and child care, adolescent girls, and elderly health services. Activities during this phase will include health screenings for children in schools and Anganwadis to address issues like anemia. Additionally, the initiative will involve organizing sanitation management in hospitals and resolving pending files.
On March 8, the Self-Help Group Women’s Health Profile Preparation Programme will commence, offering 30 types of tests for each woman in collaboration with Telangana Diagnostics. The screening of 46 lakh women will be conducted in three phases, starting with 5 mandals from each district in the first phase. Subsequent phases will cover more mandals to ensure comprehensive health screenings for all women.
The subsequent phases of the program will focus on detecting non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cancer through extensive screening camps. The initiative will also include measures such as mapping chemotherapy services at district day care cancer centers and mandatory viral infection tests for dialysis patients. Furthermore, infection control, public health preparedness, and awareness campaigns on seasonal diseases will be prioritized.
In the final phase, health services will be expanded in urban areas, with plans to upgrade urban Primary Health Centers (PHCs) to polyclinics. Specialized medical services will be provided, and medical camps will be set up in slums using mobile units to ensure healthcare access for the underprivileged. The initiative also includes organizing food safety fairs to educate the public about adulterated food.
