Shimla: Health awareness cum medical camp was held at IRBN Sakoh under the aegis of National rural health mission as a part of Police commemoration week celebrations. Rajesh Dahrmani, SP told media that over 1000 people attended this event and gained health awareness cum free medicines and tests.
Inaugurating the event CMO Kangra, Anil Mahajan told that under the Janani Suraksha Scheme, Rs 700 is being paid to every BPL SC ST woman for delivery in hospital. In addition, all the BPL families are being given free health insurance cover under the RSBY scheme.
Dr RS Rana, the DTO, told that any cough more than 2 weeks can be TB and people should get sputum checkup done and avail the benefit of Free DOTS medicine. On the occasion a HIV counseling and testing cum testing camp was also held in which over 100 people got themselves tested and availed the free and confidential services. Dr RK Sood, Project officer AIDS, told that every body should know his status and go for the test as a HIV positive person can also look healthy. In the Govt. ICTC, each blood sample is tested thrice using different rapid tests to confirm the report, as compared to private labs which usually conduct only one test.
Moreover private Labs don’t have a counselor who can help the client, he further explained. The test is totally free of cost at ICTC.
encouraging to see such developments happneing in the shy hilly state. the concern that still demands attention is what is happening at the ground level. such camps are good but are short lived. plus the number of TB cases is significantly high, being a co infection how is the state addressing it. no international research or data has any data on himachal. SACS needs to step into research and documenation at the earliest. himachal is a petri dish for HIV, we have tourism, trucks during apple and potato season, huge student population magrating for education, refugees. it would be great if media also pushes it.
great article.