Indore: As few turn up at health mela health workers become patients to boost OPD numbers

Indore (Madhya Pradesh)

After failing to mobilise people, health department officials registered ASHAs and Anganwadi workers as beneficiaries to increase the number of OPD on the first day of the two-day district-level health mela organised at Nehru Stadium on Thursday.

District administration and the health department had put up over 30 stalls for the consultation of patients including gynaecology, dental, oncology, medicines, and others.

However, the department didn’t get the expected response as no patient reached most of the stalls till afternoon while the registration of the patients was also low.

Due to the poor response from the people, health officials asked the ASHAs, Anganwadi workers, and staff of the department to get themselves registered in the OPD to increase the numbers.

“People are not coming to the mela due to which we got ourselves registered and got our blood pressure checked and took the blood sugar test,” a health employee at the mela said.

Meanwhile, chief medical and health officer Dr BS Saitya told the media, “We didn’t stop anyone from going through health check-ups. Most of those who reached to health camp were referral cases as it was organised to provide expert consultation to the people registered in earlier camps. The rising temperature might also be a reason.”

The health department officials claimed more than 1500 people benefitted through the ‘Health Mela’ on the first day.

“Out of these patients, two patients were found suffering from cervical cancer while one woman was found suffering from lung cancer. 85 pregnant women had also gone through testing in the camp,” Dr Saitya said.

He added that various health services were provided during the mela and the main focus was on making digital health cards under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

Doctors set an example by donating blood

Many doctors and health officials donated blood at the health camp for motivating others. Doctors including Dr Anil Dongre, Dr Daulat Patel, APM Vinay Pandey, and CHOs from rural areas donated the blood.