Hyderabad is gearing up for a massive health initiative targeting 4.6 million women across the state. Starting March 8, International Women’s Day, the Telangana government will launch a comprehensive health profiling program for members of women self-help groups.
Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha issued directives to officials on Wednesday, aligning the launch with the 99-day public outreach campaign ‘Praja Palana-Pragati Pranali’. This ambitious ‘People’s Governance-Progress Plan’, running from March 6 to June 12, will feature specialized health department activities divided into four phases.
The minister reviewed preparations and approved the plan with minor tweaks. Phase one, from March 6 to 31, prioritizes maternal and child care, teenage girls’ health, and elderly services. Administrative improvements include hospital cleanliness, clearing pending files, and asset verification. Field-level screenings in schools and anganwadis aim to combat anemia among children.
On March 8, the spotlight turns to women’s health profiles. Partnering with Telangana Diagnostics, the program will conduct 30 different tests per woman. Rollout occurs in three stages: initially in five mandals per district, expanding to 10 more, and finally covering all remaining areas. The minister urged completion within six months.
Phase two, April 1-15, focuses on sub-centers hosting large screening camps for hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. District day-care cancer centers will map chemotherapy services, and dialysis patients will receive mandatory viral infection tests.
From April 16 to May 15, phase three emphasizes infection control and public health readiness. Efforts include TB case identification for a TB-free India, plus awareness on heatstroke, dengue, and malaria amid rising temperatures, with emergency medicines stocked.
The final phase, May 16 to June 12, targets urban health upgrades. Plans include converting 145 urban PHCs in GHMC, Cyberabad, and Medchal into polyclinics. Mobile medical units will serve slums, and food safety fairs will educate on adulterated food risks.
This multi-pronged strategy underscores Telangana’s commitment to accessible, proactive healthcare, particularly for vulnerable groups.