Haryana, January 24- Haryana today became the first State in the country where it’s all 111 Community Health Centres will have a vehicle each exclusively to facilitate better implementation of health programmes through extension supervision and monitoring. Under first phase of the ambitious programme, Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda flagged off 59 Mahindra Bolero vehicles from his residence here today.
While speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that these vehicles would help in effective implementation of activities like immunisation and organisation of anti-natal check ups and other health camps.
The State Government has provided Rs 5.39 crore out of its own funds to purchase these vehicles. Apart from the Senior Medical Officer or incharge of the CHC, the Medical Officers posted at the CHC would also be able to use the vehicle to ensure effective implementation of health programmes.
The Chief Minister also flagged off 17 Advanced Life Support (ALS) Ambulances, known as “Jeevan Rekha” thus raising their total number to 23 in the State.These ALS have cost an expenditure of Rs 3.43 crore and would further strengthen the Swasthya Vahan Sewa-102.Mr Hooda evinced keen interest in the modern equipment installed in these Ambulances.
Mr Hooda said that with the launch of ALS Ambulances and provision of vehicles to each CHC, the Government has covered some of the critical gaps and this would go a long way in further improving health services in the State.
Mr Hooda said that one ALS Ambulances was being provided at each District Hospital. The ALS Ambulances were equipped with modern and necessary equipment like ventilator for a patient suffering from respiratory disease, defibrillator for cardiac patients, suction machine for airway clearing, splints and spine board for patients with trauma, autoloader and syringe pump. This equipment would help in pre-treatment care of critically injured or ill patients during the transportation. These ambulances would have Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) for providing care during the transportation to the patients. These EMTs would be provided training in Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and International Trauma Life Support systems. These ambulances would be operational round-the-clock and would be monitored and dispatched by the Control Room established at each District Hospital. These ambulances would only be provided for trauma and critically ill cases and the services could be availed by calling the toll free No. 102 installed at each District Control Room.
Health Minister, Rao Narender Singh said that these ambulances would run under the Haryana Swasthya Vaahan Sewa, the scheme of Referral Transport. He said that in case of “Golden Hour” that is one hour after the accident which is very crucial, if the patient gets first aid treatment, the precious life of the accident victim can be saved. There are 335 ambulances currently running under the scheme. A total of more than 5.8 lakh patients have been transported by the ambulances under the scheme which includes 2.25 lakh pregnant women, 30,000 road side accident cases, 1.17 lakh referred cases and 71,000 cases of other emergencies. The annual approved budget of Haryana Swasthya Vaahan Sewa is Rs 15.13 crores for the year 2011-12 under the budget provided for National Rural Health Mission for Haryana by Central Government.
While speaking on the occasion, Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education, Mrs Navraj Sandhu said six ALS ambulances were already available with the Health Department, but now 17 more have been added. The Referral Transport Scheme has been providing transportation to the pregnant women, road side accident cases and other emergency cases since its launch on November 14, 2009.
Mission Director, National Rural Health Mission, Haryana Mr C.R.Rana said that the NRHM, Haryana has worked towards improvement of health care delivery through its scheme of Indra Bal Swasthya Yojna, Free Drug Policy to all OPD patients, YashodhaYojna for providing necessary support to pregnant women while admitted in the hospital through volunteers, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram for providing free delivery, diet, treatment, tests and transportation to pregnant women and the babies.
Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Ram Kishan Fouji, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Mr Chhatar Singh, Principal OSD to Chief Minister Mr M.S.Chopra, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Mr Shiv Raman Gaur other senior officers of Health Department including Director General Health Services, Dr Narveer Singh,State Programme Officers, doctors, para medical staff were present during the function.