PNS|Hyderabad
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced a new scheme named ‘Aarogya Mahila’ to protect the health of women on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The programme will be launched on March 8 through 100 primary health centres in 33 districts.
The Aarogya Mahila scheme will conduct 57 different types of medical tests on women on every Tuesday and provide them with appropriate medicines immediately. Women who require further treatment will be sent to hospitals. The women’s program is divided into eight packages. It includes diagnostics, cancer screening, nutritional problems, urinary problems, menopause problems, family planning, infertility, menstrual problems, sexually transmitted diseases, underweight problems, and 20 medical tests done in pathological labs. Apart from these hypertension, diabetes and anaemia tests are done in all Primary Health Centres. These test reports will be provided within 24 hours.
In view of the growing case of cancer among women, the programme will also conduct tests for cancer. It will screen for breast cancer in women aged above 30 years in primary health centres, urban health centres and basti clinics. Mammograms will be done at district centres and regional hospitals.
Colposcopy, cryotherapy, biopsy and pap smear tests will be performed at Nims and at the MMJ Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad to treat women with confirmed cancer. The programme will also screen for iodine deficiency (thyroid), vitamin D-3 and B-12 among others.
The 100 centres across the state will screen for urinary diseases and conduct tests and counselling for problems like menopause, menstruation, family planning, childlessness etc. Women who require additional screening will be referred to district centres for ultrasound examination.
Special healthy women helpdesks are being set up for this programme. Patient care workers along with ANM and ASHA workers are being arranged at all examination centres. The healthy women’s programme will soon be launched by public representatives throughout the state.
