BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla has directed officials to prepare a coordinated, outcome-oriented action plan to improve the reach, availability and delivery of healthcare services in Balaghat district, with a special focus on its remote and geographically difficult areas.
Chairing a review meeting, Shukla, who holds Public Health and Medical Education portfolios, said healthcare planning and deployment of manpower in Balaghat should be based on the district’s actual requirements rather than merely on the number of sanctioned posts. Population, geographical distances, accessibility, the status of health facilities and local service needs should be taken into account while assessing requirements for doctors, medical personnel and frontline workers.
He stressed the need to strengthen the availability and effectiveness of ASHA workers and other frontline health personnel, particularly in difficult-to-reach areas. Officials were asked to assess the availability of ASHA workers, anganwadi workers and other field-level personnel and strengthen the network wherever gaps are identified. The frontline workforce should also be used for identifying eligible beneficiaries, linking them with healthcare services, follow-up and regular monitoring of service delivery.
Calling for a proactive approach to healthcare delivery, Shukla said the system should not wait for patients to reach health facilities. Instead, potential health needs should be identified in advance and appropriate services provided on time. He directed officials to strengthen area-wise mapping, field-level follow-up and monitoring and fix clear departmental responsibility to ensure that no eligible beneficiary, village or remote area is left without essential healthcare services.
Shukla also called for closer coordination among the Health, Women and Child Development, and Public Health Engineering departments to improve health and nutrition outcomes. He said healthcare and nutrition services for children, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups should be planned alongside basic services such as drinking water and sanitation. Officials were directed to prepare joint action plans based on local problems and ensure convergence of departmental schemes and services.
The Deputy Chief Minister further directed that Nutrition Committees and Health Committees hold regular joint meetings to review health, nutrition, drinking water and related services together. Gaps identified during these meetings should be addressed through time-bound action plans, followed by regular monitoring of decisions and area-wise progress.
He called for micro-planning for remote and difficult-to-access areas of Balaghat, stressing that a uniform strategy would not work across the district because of its diverse geographical conditions. Officials were asked to regularly assess healthcare availability, frontline staff coverage, institutional services, referral arrangements and essential resources in remote areas and take additional measures wherever gaps are found.
The meeting reviewed the district’s existing healthcare situation, human resources, availability of frontline workers, convergence of health and nutrition services and inter-departmental coordination. Shukla directed officials to address the identified deficiencies and ensure effective implementation of the action plan.
Principal Secretary, Public Health and Medical Education Sukhveer Singh, Secretary, Women and Child Development G.V. Rashmi, Commissioner, Public Health and Medical Education Dhanraju S., NHM Director Dr Saloni Sidana, senior Public Health Engineering Department officials and other concerned officers attended the meeting.