Yupia – In a focused push to fortify public health services, the District Health Society (DHS) of Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, held its first-quarter review meeting, exposing a slew of pressing challenges. Chaired by Deputy Commissioner Vishakha Yadav, the gathering at the DC Conference Hall on Friday served as a reality check, with officials scrutinising the performance of health programmes from April to June and charting a course for immediate interventions. The discourse was marked by a candid acknowledgement of shortcomings, setting a tone for a more collaborative and accountable approach.
The review shed light on several critical areas where the district is lagging. A major concern flagged was the tepid response to AYUSH outpatient services, indicating a need to better integrate traditional medicine with mainstream healthcare. Equally alarming were the low rates of first-trimester registration for pregnant women and the poor tracking of children missing their routine immunization shots. Furthermore, the district’s schools were found to have insufficient coverage of the Tetanus and Diphtheria (TD) vaccine, prompting an immediate call for action. Infrastructure issues also surfaced, with several Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs) facing inadequate water supply. The meeting also noted the minimal enrolment under the flagship PMJAY health insurance scheme, pointing to a gap in beneficiary outreach and awareness.
Addressing the stakeholders, DC Yadav was emphatic about the need for a cross-sectoral strategy, particularly stressing the pivotal role of the Education Department in boosting child immunization awareness. She issued a clear directive to health officials to establish robust beneficiary tracking systems to curb the immunization drop-out rates. The Deputy Commissioner also mandated prior approval for outreach health camps conducted by the Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) to ensure seamless coordination and better resource utilisation. These camps, she suggested, should be strategically leveraged to drive PMJAY enrolments, thereby broadening the reach of affordable healthcare.
The meeting also made a determined push towards achieving the national health goals. In line with the TB Mukt Bharat campaign, Yadav urged for 100% adoption of TB patients under the Nikshay Mitra initiative and encouraged officials to work towards increasing the number of TB Mukt Panchayats in the district. She expressed dissatisfaction with the low number of health facilities accredited under the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS), calling on Medical Officers and HWC staff to proactively pursue accreditation. The meeting saw the participation of key district officials, including Circle Officers Amina Nabam and Mary P Bui, and a host of senior health functionaries, all of whom are now tasked with implementing the corrective measures identified.
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