Himachal Pradesh Government was making available quality drugs free of cost to the patients suffering from tuberculosis through all the Government health institutions, besides creating awareness amongst the masses in different modes, associating NGOs, village-level functionaries with the educational campaigns, to arrest the emergence of tuberculosis in the State. This was revealed by Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, after he flagged off the awareness rally of the medical and school children from the historic Ridge Maidan at the State-Level function to mark the World Tuberculosis Day here today.
Chief Minister said that the State had best health indicators and was committed to make Himachal Pradesh a healthy State in all respects by controlling the fatal diseases like HIV AIDS, polio, tuberculosis etc. He said that both the medical colleges were also being involved in implementation of the awareness programme so that the message was delivered to the targeted groups from every possible channel. He said that to prevent Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB) an Intermediary Reference Laboratory has been established at Dharampur which has helped in saving the time, money and inconvenience to the patients and was available in Delhi only. He said that out of the 115 identified patients of MDR TB, 32 had completely been treated while others were under treatment.
Virbhadra Singh said that TB was preventable and curable disease which had been declared as global emergency. He said that among the most effective steps in prevention of TB was to cure infectious cases in order to break the chain of transmission. He said that to overcome all such hurdles, a revised strategy had been evolved and National TB Control Programme launched in the State from 1993. He said that 2,645 Directly Observed Treatment Short Course DOTS centres had been established in the state where the medicine was being administered to the patients in the presence of medical functionaries. He said that 88,906 TB patients had so far been treated in the State while the latest detected cases were under treatment. He expressed satisfaction for achieving the 88 percent cure rate in the State and 81 percent detection rate against the global objective of 85 percent and 70 percent respectively.
Chief Minister said that intensive education campaigns like Patient’s Provider Meetings, Community Meetings, School Activities, sensitization of panchayati raj institutions, mahila mandals and opinion leaders were being carried out in the state to deliver the awareness message in every nook and corner of the State. He said that educational institutions were the best to educate the young generation about the gravity of the disease and the precautions required to be taken to prevent the same and all-out efforts were required to be made to sensitize the young people.
Virbhadra Singh said that the State had best health infrastructure, two medical colleges in Government sector and many other in private sector where quality health facilities were available. He said that the State hospital had also been strengthened where MRI and Open Heart Surgery facilities were also being provided to the people within the State. He said that new OPD block was also being constructed separately in every major hospital to facilitate the outdoor patients to avail of the convenient health care facilities.
One wonders on what basis Shri vir Bhadra Singh has made the comment- HP has the best health indicators. Two examples suffice to show he is either misleading the people or he has been misled by his officials.
NFHS-3 data shows that the actual coverage of Total immunization has come down from 83% to 74%. 36 % children below the age of 3 are underweight, 19% are wasted (too thin for their height) and 27% have stunted growth (too short for their age).
Every 4th adult woman has less bodymass in comparison to men who are just 19%. Only 27% mother give exclusive breast feed to the new borns. 40.9 %Women are anaemic between the group of 15 to 49. Supplying drugs for tb is not a bi deal as all the supplies come from Central Government and the State doesn’t spent a single penny.
 Firing with words only does work in the society any kind of boosting brings only frustration at personal level & in Social circles as well.
The statement made by Virbhadra Singh is based on different surveys carried out by the planning wing of Government of India, International agencies, & other national agencies of repute.
The Himachal has got award for its best performances in different fields in national level which includes health & educational also.
It brings laurels & pride to every Himachali that after becoming an independent unit of Indian Nation in 1948 Himachal under the development process set by Himachal Nirmata Dr. YS Parmar has become a model developed hill state in the country. It present several hill states of the country were studying development process of the state & trying to follow it. If out spiders running their business in the state does not feel good with the progress of the state then I think that son of the soil of the HP can not do anything about it.
It is unfortunate that for the past several years some so called “social welfare contractors†has tried to paint the bad image of the state by producing fabricated reports to their benefits. They must feel that people of Himachal Pradesh may retaliate such actions.
Harping on the success and positive side only, does not anable us to have vision to go further. We should have an open mind to see limitations and problems, to enable a holistic planning. NFHS is the most credible independent survey by govt of India, and not one agency.
If somebody has a better credible ndenpendent agency, we can cite them. There has been a gap n reported and actual coverage for all services, not just immunisation, and hence the need for surveys for planners to get real feel of the ground realities. Adminstrative coverage for immunisation exceeds 100% – can anybody explain this.
According to the report of National Sample Survey Organisation, the utilisation of public sector is highest in HP as compared to other parts of India. But it is also brought out in the same survey that cost of medical care is highest in HP…
All should refrain from irresponsible comments on credibility of NFHS or NSSO. Nor should the data be cited in a negative light as a system failure.
A wider debate and open ness, acknowledgement of Strenghts and Areas for improvement is prequisite to further consolidation of the gains.
Let us think with open mind free of prejudices.