Bhopal News: At Arogya Mandir Centres, Nurses Diagnose Cancer And TB, Not Doctors

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Diagnosis and screening of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), cancer and tuberculosis(TB) are conducted by trained community health officers (CHOs), ASHAs, ANMs and other frontline workers in Madhya Pradesh under Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM), formerly known as health & wellness centres, which are part of a central government strategy.

However, the National Health Mission administration said that women cancer patients would be diagnosed by women doctors to maintain their dignity and privacy.

But no qualified MBBS doctors are deployed while nurses are entrusted with the responsibility of screening of oral, breast and cervical cancers and tuberculosis.

To note, screening, prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, diabetes, and common cancers (oral, breast, cervical) and communicable diseases like TB and leprosy are done for people over 30 to provide integrated primary care, including diagnostics (BP, glucose) and essential medicines, under the National Health Mission (NHM).

Trained nurses deployed for screening are called community health officers (CHOs). After screening, the patients are referred to higher health institutions like district hospitals for further diagnosis.

There are 10,000 trained nurses(CHOs) working at various Arogya Mandir wellness centres. However, NHM director Saloni Sadana said, “Women cancer patients will be diagnosed by lady doctors to maintain their dignity and privacy.”