30 DAYS COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ROLLED OUT IN PUNJAB

Chandigarh, November 6, 2016: The comprehensive mass contact cum health awareness campaign titled 'Sehat Jagrukta Muhim' under which 100 health awareness vans have been deployed to cover all the villages, towns, urban and peri-urban areas for awareness on health issues and services & to provide medical facilities at doorsteps got an overwhelming response from the community. On the first day of the campaign these vans covered 432 villages of Punjab. Medical teams deployed with the vans provided health services to 36462 no. of people including 20651 females and 1372 girl children below the age of 5 years. This was revealed here today by Ms. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health, Punjab. She informed that 1121 pregnant women were provided services and 106 high risk pregnancies were identified and have been referred for the Ante Natal Care in various health institutions. Lab tests of 6437 persons were conducted. 1799 Hypertensive, 940 Diabetic patients and 668 patients suffering from both hypertension and diabetes were identified by medical teams on the first day of campaign. Ms Vini Mahajan added that during this campaign, people are being made aware of key health issues and schemes like Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojna, Mukh Mantri Cancer Relief Fund, Mukh Mantri Punjab Hepatitis-C Relief Fund, Services for Women & Children specifically for pregnant women & girl child.
Sh Hussan Lal, Mission Director National Health Mission, Punjab apprised that 73691 people attended the advocacy campaign through these vans, who were made aware regarding various schemes of the Health & Family Department and other health related issues. The response of the local district administration was very proactive for the campaign. He said that 51 Folk media and nukkad nataks’ were convened in the evening at selected places and more than 18000 people attended these shows on the first day of the campaign.
He added that these 100 Information Education Communication (IEC) vans of Health & Family Welfare Department duly equipped with display material, audio visual aids and print material were flagged-off by S. Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister Punjab from Rajindera Park Chandigarh on 4th November and thereafter these vans left for their respective destinations across the state to start the campaign from 5th November to 5th December 2016. Medical Officers, RMO's, AMO's, Ayurveda & Homeopathic Doctors, Paramedics, Counselors have been deputed along with these Vans for providing health services, OPD services and medicines to the people free of cost.