Thirty medical camps planned in Tiruvarur district
According to an official release, these camps will be held at three places in each taluk in the district with priority to places having higher Scheduled Caste population and economically backward areas. In addition to the health checkup, people would be helped in enrolling for the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme and persons with disabilities get their identity card.
A health camp was held at Muthupettai on Saturday and was attended by Collector V. Mohanachandran.
The camp at Thanjavur was held on a private school premises and was attended by the Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan and Collector B. Priyanka Pankajam.
[e.o.m]
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- The Hindu
Benefits aside, NKS camps witness technical snags, service disruption at govt hospitals
The Health department, through its latest scheme of 'Nalam Kaakkum Stalin' (NKS), may have reached out to 44,418 persons through health camps but certain sections of its public health workforce are not only weighing the pros and cons but are also wondering how an already stretched healthcare sector can cope. On Saturday, as the camps kicked off across the State, there were widespread technical snags as the Health Management Information System (HMIS) portal slowed down and the diversion of doctors from nearby government hospitals to the camps disrupted services at some institutions. According to official sources, an internal assessment of the camps showed that it had both benefits and shortfalls. Getting health checks for various specialities and laboratory investigations under a single roof as well as getting test reports on their mobile phones got positive feedback from the public in many districts. Services and certifications for persons with disabilities and issuance of Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme cards were a welcome move. But there were a number of shortfalls too. One of the main observations was how diverting doctors and diagnostic facilities from government institutions to the camps affected services at those hospitals. Another issue was technical snags and poor network connections that slowed down processes, resulting in longer waiting period for the public. In an open letter to the Health department, a government healthcare professional questioned 'the rationale behind launching another massive, resource-heavy initiative like NKS when initiatives such as Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) have already achieved significant outreach - the scheme has reached millions across the State in identifying, screening, and managing chronic conditions at the doorstep of people. Expressing concern about the mode of delivery, he said, 'While camps can play a role in targeted outreach, converting a well-functioning public health system into a camp-centric model may cause more harm than good. We have a robust network of Primary Health Centres (PHC), government hospitals, and medical colleges that are already stretched thin. Redirecting specialists, paramedics, and diagnostic facilities from these institutions to one-off mega camps risks undermining the daily functioning of these critical establishments.' In fact, a medical officer said that not all GHs have cardiologists, and diverting those available to NKS camps will only add to the existing troubles. The healthcare professional, in the letter, posed a number of questions : What is the incremental benefit of this camp model over the ongoing MTM programme? Has an impact evaluation been conducted to justify another door-to-door/camp-based programme? Who will attend to the routine patients at PHCs, GHs, and tertiary centres when the human resources are pulled for camps? Is there an assessment of the manpower cost and opportunity loss? Introducing HMIS 3.0 for data capture during NKS camps may lead to operational chaos as was evident on Saturday, doctors said. These camps often cater to 800–1000 beneficiaries in a single day, requiring efficient crowd movement, timely consultations, and uninterrupted service delivery. Forcing real-time data entry through a partially functional system like HMIS 3.0 in such settings can result in service delays, inaccurate data, and increased workload on already overstretched staff. HMIS 3.0, which aims to strengthen digital health data systems, is still in the early stages of implementation at the PHC level, and faces significant challenges. In many PHCs, the system has not been rolled out or is only partially functional. Even in pilot districts, staff encounter difficulties such as limited training, frequent server issues, poor internet connectivity, and an unfriendly user interface, all of which hinder effective data entry and real-time reporting, he said. The focus, he said, must be on strengthening existing systems, ensuring adequate human resources at health facilities, uninterrupted supply chains, effective referral systems, and proper follow-up for those already screened under MTM or other NCD programs. 'As public health stakeholders, we urge the Health Department to reassess the strategy,' he added. A doctor said, 'Power supply and network connection were not proper at my camp site. Sending specialists to camps will disturb the smooth functioning of hospitals.' he added.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
‘Nalam Kaakkum Stalin' scheme launched in Dindigul, Ramanathapuram
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated medical camps under Nalam Kaakkum Stalin scheme through video conferencing in Dindigul and Ramanathapuram districts on Saturday. In Dindigul district, Rural Development Minister I. Periyasamy inaugurated the medical camp in Dindigul in the presence of Dindigul Collector S. Saravanan, Palani MLA I.P. Senthil Kumar, Vedasandur MLA S. Gandhirajan and Mayor J. Ilamathi. According to the press release, in Dindigul district, a total of 45 medical camps in the 15 blocks will be conducted every Saturday. In Ramanathapuram district the medical camp was inaugurated in Mandapam. Ramanathapuram Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, Ramanathapuram MLA Katharbatcha Muthuramalingam, Paramakudi MLA S. Murugesan, Tiruvadanai MLA R. M. Karumanickam and others were present. At the medical camps, the people could get checked for blood pressure, diabetes, and also get screened for early stages of cancer. They could receive an echogram, X-ray, ECG, and an ultrasound scan. Specialists from various departments would participate in the medical camps. Treatment for ENT, dental, psychiatry, physiotherapy, cardiology, skin, and consultation for general surgeries would also be provided. Elaborate arrangements had been made to clinically screen the visitors and give certificates to the differently abled persons and an identity card for the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. The medical camps will be held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the press release.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Thirty medical camps planned in Tiruvarur district
The district administration in collaboration with the Health and Family Welfare Department has decided to conduct 30 medical camps under the Nalam Kaakkum Stalin scheme launched on Saturday. According to an official release, these camps will be held at three places in each taluk in the district with priority to places having higher Scheduled Caste population and economically backward areas. In addition to the health checkup, people would be helped in enrolling for the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme and persons with disabilities get their identity card. A health camp was held at Muthupettai on Saturday and was attended by Collector V. Mohanachandran. The camp at Thanjavur was held on a private school premises and was attended by the Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan and Collector B. Priyanka Pankajam. [e.o.m]
