Garhwa: Deputy Commissioner Pashupati Nath Mishra chaired a district-level review meeting of the Health Department at the Collectorate on Tuesday, assessing the implementation of several health programmes and directing officials to address gaps in service delivery.
The review covered the availability of healthcare services and medical staff at district and block-level facilities, along with key indicators including antenatal care (ANC) registration, institutional deliveries, full childhood immunisation, family planning, e-Sanjeevani telemedicine, sickle-cell screening, urban health services, Atal Clinics and the Chief Minister’s Critical Illness Scheme.
Officials also reviewed the District Programme Implementation Committee, district tuberculosis forums and task forces, active TB case finding, proposals to declare TB-free panchayats, the District Grievance Redressal Committee, hospital maintenance and the Abua Swasthya Yojana.
Mishra directed officials to improve performance against programme indicators and accelerate implementation. He asked medical officers in charge (MOICs) to prioritise appropriate treatment for patients, maintain cleanliness in hospitals and ensure that doctors and health workers wear their prescribed uniforms. He warned that negligence would invite strict action.
The MOICs of Meral and Bhandaria were absent from the meeting without prior explanation. The Deputy Commissioner directed Civil Surgeon Dr J.F. Kennedy to seek an explanation from them.
Medical officers raised concerns about shortages of doctors, health workers, security guards and X-ray technicians at health centres, as well as electricity-related issues and non-functional ambulances. Mishra asked the Civil Surgeon to take necessary action to address the concerns. He also directed that medical services at Sadar Hospital and the district’s community and primary health centres be strengthened.
The meeting included a review of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme–Integrated Health Information Platform (IDSP-IHIP). Officials discussed the causes, prevention and treatment of malaria, typhoid, dengue and other serious diseases. Comparative data presented at the meeting indicated that cases of these diseases had declined from the previous year.
The Deputy Commissioner also reviewed the HMIS portal, ANC registration and check-ups, pregnancies, institutional deliveries, health indicators under the Aspirational Districts programme, child immunisation, family planning, the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, anaemia prevention, Mission Indradhanush, the U-WIN portal, staff attendance and ambulance availability. He expressed concern over performance below expectations and instructed officials to take corrective measures and submit improved reports. He said doctors must carry out their duties with compassion and accountability, warning that failure to do so could result in action.
Mishra further directed officials to strengthen the One Health Committee and the District Joint Outbreak Response Team (DJORT) to improve the early detection, surveillance and control of infectious and zoonotic diseases.
The One Health approach brings together human, animal and environmental health agencies to prevent, identify and control disease. Officials were asked to focus on rabies, leptospirosis, scrub typhus, snakebite, anthrax, brucellosis, vector-borne diseases, and water- and food-borne illnesses.
District Programme Manager Gaurav Kumar, medical officers and other officials and staff from the Health Department attended the meeting.
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