Guwahati: The National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, has taken a transformative step to enhance healthcare services in the state’s tea garden areas by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to upgrade 354 tea garden hospitals into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
This initiative aims to address the long-standing health challenges faced by tea garden workers and their families.
The signing ceremony, held in the presence of Ashok Singhal, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Irrigation, Government of Assam, as the Chief Guest, marked a significant milestone.
Other notable attendees included Ministers Pijush Hazarika, Prashanta Phukan, Rupesh Gowala, Krishnendu Paul, and several MLAs from across the state.
In his address, Minister Singhal emphasized the government’s commitment to tackling critical health issues prevalent in tea garden communities, such as anemia, malnutrition, high maternal and neonatal mortality, hypertension, and diabetes.
He also highlighted the persistent challenges of tuberculosis, leprosy, and diarrheal diseases, exacerbated by inadequate healthcare infrastructure and poor sanitation in these areas.
Minister Singhal outlined the government’s ongoing efforts to improve healthcare in tea estates. These include Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) services, the Wage Compensation Scheme for pregnant women, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models with tea estate hospitals, free medicines and patient transport services, and the construction of new hospitals under Assam Tea Corporation Limited.
The introduction of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs represents a significant expansion of these efforts. These centers will offer comprehensive healthcare services, including maternal and neonatal care, child and adolescent health, family planning, management of infectious and non-communicable diseases, ENT, oral and mental healthcare, emergency medical services, and elderly care.
Each facility will be staffed with a dedicated Community Health Officer trained to deliver services under 12 health packages, ensuring a holistic approach to community health.
This initiative underscores the Assam Government’s dedication to improving the quality of life for tea garden workers and their families, promoting healthier communities, and addressing longstanding disparities in healthcare access.
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