Guwahati (Assam) [India] January 23 (ANI): In a landmark initiative to strengthen healthcare services in Assam’s tea Garden areas, the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to upgrade 354 tea garden hospitals into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
This transformative step aims to provide quality healthcare to tea garden workers and their families.
The event was attended by Ashok Singhal, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Irrigation, Government of Assam, as the Chief Guest. Other dignitaries included Ministers Pijush Hazarika, Prashanta Phukan, Rupesh Gowala and Krishnendu Paul, along with several MLAs representing various constituencies across the state.
Speaking at the event, Minister Singhal highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing the critical health challenges faced by tea garden workers. He pointed out that issues like anemia, malnutrition, high maternal and neonatal mortality, hypertension, and diabetes are prevalent in these areas.
Additionally, diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy, and diarrhoea remain significant concerns due to inadequate healthcare infrastructure and poor hygiene and sanitation in tea estates.
Minister Singhal noted that the Government of Assam has already introduced several initiatives to improve health services in tea estates. These include Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) services, the Wage Compensation Scheme for pregnant women, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreements with tea estate hospitals, free medicines and patient transport services and the construction of new hospitals under Assam Tea Corporation Limited.
While these measures have laid a foundation, he emphasized the need to do more and announced the establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across 354 tea estates.
The Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will provide comprehensive healthcare services and promote healthy lifestyles. Each facility will have a dedicated Community Health Officer trained to deliver services under 12 health packages. These services will include 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.
The centres will also provide free medicines and diagnostic services. Infrastructure upgrades, including labor rooms and neonatal emergency treatment units, will be carried out to ensure better health outcomes.
Minister Singhal emphasized the importance of prevention over treatment and encouraged the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Yoga and other wellness activities will be integrated into these centers to promote holistic well-being. He also called on tea garden owners and management to prioritize the health of their workers, stating that a healthier workforce is essential for a healthier tea garden sector.
The minister shared that 4,947 health centers in Assam have already been upgraded to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, describing this as a key step toward realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of accessible and affordable healthcare for all. The upgraded facilities in tea estates are expected to significantly improve health indicators and provide much-needed relief to workers and their families.
The event saw the participation of Commissioner & Secretary of Health and Family Welfare P. Ashok Babu, NHM Assam Project Director Dr Laxman S and senior officials from the health department and district administrations. Managers of tea estates, representatives of labor organizations and numerous stakeholders joined the event in person and virtually. (ANI)
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