Hyderabad, March 4 (NationPress) The Telangana government is gearing up to create a comprehensive health profile for 46 lakh women across the state. This initiative will primarily target members of women's self-help groups.

On March 8, coinciding with International Women's Day, Health Minister Damodar Raja Narsimha has instructed officials to kick off this vital program.

The minister held a review meeting to discuss the various activities planned by the Health Department under the initiative named ‘Praja Palana–Pragati Pranalika’ (people’s governance-progress plan). This 99-day outreach initiative will run from March 6 to June 12.

As per an official announcement, the minister provided instructions to senior officials regarding the activities planned for the 99-day campaign.

Minor adjustments were made to the plan approved by the minister. The activities will be rolled out in four distinct phases.

The first phase will concentrate on maternal and child health, services for adolescent girls, and care for the elderly, spanning from March 6 to 31.

In addition to enhancing hospital administrative functions such as sanitation management, clearing pending files, and asset verification, health screenings for children in schools and Anganwadis will be conducted to combat anemia.

The Women’s Health Profile Preparation Programme will officially launch on March 8, where 30 types of tests will be administered to each participant with assistance from Telangana Diagnostics.

Over the course of three phases starting March 8, approximately 46 lakh women will be tested. The initial phase will commence in 5 mandals from each district.

The second phase will expand to cover another 10 mandals, while the final phase will encompass all remaining mandals. The minister expressed the goal of completing all screenings within a period of 6 months.

The second phase of ‘people’s governance’ is scheduled from April 1 to 15. During this period, extensive screening camps will be set up at sub-centers to identify non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and cancer.

The minister also mandated that chemotherapy services be organized at district day care cancer centers and that mandatory viral infection tests be conducted for dialysis patients.

The third phase, occurring from April 16 to May 15, will emphasize infection control and public health readiness. The minister ordered the identification of TB cases to work towards a TB Mukt Bharat initiative and to raise awareness on seasonal illnesses like sunstroke, dengue, and malaria, particularly with rising temperatures. Emergency medicines will also be made available.

In the fourth phase, from May 16 to June 12, health services will be broadened in urban settings. The minister recommended upgrading 145 urban PHCs in GHMC, Cyberabad, and Medchal into polyclinics, offering specialty medical services.

Mobile medical camps will be deployed in slums to ensure healthcare access for the underprivileged. The minister proposed organizing food safety fairs to educate the public about food adulteration.