Bihar to screen 6 crore people in statewide door-to-door healthcare drive

Bihar has launched a major healthcare campaign aimed at taking screening, treatment and disease-prevention services directly to people's doorsteps.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated the 'Jaanch evam Upchar, Chikitsa Aapke Dwar' (Testing and Treatment, Healthcare at Your Doorstep) campaign on Sep 2 and flagged off awareness chariots to mark the occasion.

Health Minister Nishant Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary were also present.

The campaign will run from September 2 to November 30 across Bihar's 38 districts.

Under the initiative, Health Department teams will visit villages, panchayats and individual households to screen people aged between 30 years and above.

The campaign will cover around 14,500 health centres across the state.

The state government aims to screen around six crore people in the 30 years-and-above age group and create digital health records to facilitate the early detection and treatment of serious illnesses.

The initiative will focus particularly on non-communicable and other serious diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart disease, respiratory and lung-related illnesses, fatty liver and tuberculosis (TB).

Individuals diagnosed with a disease during the screening process will be provided medicines, medical advice and treatment, along with referrals to higher-level health facilities where necessary.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said the campaign's objective is not limited to screening people.

"Detailed records of individuals' illnesses and treatment histories will also be maintained and digitised. Efforts will be made to link these records with ABHA IDs, enabling the Health Department to maintain comprehensive information on people suffering from diseases such as diabetes, TB and cancer," he added.

Chief Minister Choudhary said that awareness chariots would travel across districts, villages and communities to spread information about diseases and ways to prevent them.

He also directed Health Department officials to ensure effective implementation of the campaign.

The Bihar government has also placed special emphasis on addressing anaemia among women and girls.

According to government data cited at the event, more than 63 per cent of women in Bihar suffer from anaemia.

The state government plans to screen around one crore women and girls to identify and treat anaemia and other health conditions.

The state government is simultaneously expanding the capacity of district hospitals to provide treatment for a wider range of diseases.

The number of diseases for which treatment is available at the district level has increased from 36 to 46, while efforts are also underway to expand ICU beds and surgical facilities.

According to the Chief Minister, more than 8,000 surgeries are currently performed every month in district hospitals.

Recruitment of doctors and nurses is also being undertaken to strengthen healthcare services.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said that 700 nurses were appointed before Raksha Bandhan and assured that further recruitment would be carried out as required.

The state government is also focusing on preparing Bihar's healthcare workforce for international opportunities.

The Chief Minister said nursing staff seeking employment abroad should have knowledge of the language of the country where they intend to work.

Arrangements are being developed to teach Japanese to healthcare workers going to Japan and French to those travelling to France, with the broader objective of positioning Bihar as a global healthcare hub.

The Chief Minister also directed District Magistrates participating in the programme to work on 'Mission Kayakalp', which is expected to be launched soon.

The initiative will focus on improving infrastructure and facilities at hospitals and Additional Primary Health Centres in rural areas, with priority given to addressing deficiencies identified at these facilities.

The state government has described the 'Chikitsa Aapke Dwar' campaign as a major step towards strengthening primary healthcare in Bihar.

By taking screening and treatment closer to households, the initiative is expected to promote early disease detection, improve follow-up care and create a comprehensive digital health record system.

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