Arogya Digital Health Care generates new hope among poor patients

Doctors examining patients at Keerian in Kathua during Digital Health Care outreach programme on Friday. -Excelsior/Pardeep Sharma
Doctors examining patients at Keerian in Kathua during Digital Health Care outreach programme on Friday. -Excelsior/Pardeep Sharma

‘5000 people to be examined in 2 months’

Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Feb 18: Hundreds of people in far flung areas of Kathua district were benefitted by Arogya Digital Health Care Programme during the first week of its launch.
The programme was launched on February 12 by the Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh who is also the MP from Kathua -Udhampur and Doda Parliamentary constituency by putting a mobile medical unit Doctor on Wheels with point of care- advanced Diagnostics equipment , HIPPA enabled Tele Consultation Facility and integrated soft ware for data capturing in service of people especially in rural and far flung areas of the district where people can’t avail such facilities in hospitals of corporate sector due to their poverty.
Showing their total satisfaction over the Arogya Outreach Health Care Programme launched by Narendra Modi Government, the people in rural areas of Kathua district said that it is for the first time that somebody showed concern for them. They said the local MP Dr Jitendra Singh deserves all credit for launching the Doctor on Wheels in this district for the benefit of the people.
They said it has created a new hope for the poor people suffering from chronic ailments who are not in a position to avail the benefits of latest technology in the Corporate Sector Hospitals.
According to Sahara Help Society, Executive Head, Shanker Matam the camp was inaugurated on February 12 and it will conclude on April 23 this year by holding 60 camps in the district covering 120 villages and its direct beneficiaries will be 3000 people in the district.
During over two months camps about 5000 people will be examined, he said. The O Health is the technological backbone of the Mission which has first launched the service in remote and far-flung areas of Doda district, said Arunoday Singh founder of O Health.
He said the O Health’s is providing this service in far-flung areas to provide latest medical consultation to the people and it is receiving good public response. He said in Doda the camp started on September 25 last year and concluded on January 7 this year. However the people made a pressing demand that this service should remain permanently in the district and they have requested the administration for permanently holding such camps in the district. During over three months 183 villages were covered in Doda district while 3544 people got benefitted in the camp. They included 1486 male and 2062 female. Besides, 1358 beneficiaries during these camps were given specialist consultation, Arunodav added.
Giving more details Shanker Matam of Sahara said that 308 people visited different camps in Kathua during last six days and 170 different kind of tests were held while 44 special consultations were also given during this period.
He said during the ongoing camp in Kathua district as well as previous camp held at Doda district maximum people were first time diagnosed for hypertension and diabetes as well as the problems of gastritis and arthritis mostly –the joint pain.
He said the Arogya Outreach Health Care programme is being held in coordination with National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) and Sewa Bharti with O Health being its technology partner.
Shanker said the Anganwari and Asha workers, local medical staff and doctors are involved in the camp to serve the people.
For the medical check up and examination of the people the services of super spec lists are being utilised, said Shanker and 50 specialists across the country are involved with the Arogya Outreach health Care Programme.
He said as per WHO there should be one doctor for 1000 people while in India there is one doctor for 10,000 people and to fill this gap the Arogya Outreach Health Care programme was launched by the Modi Government.