NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asked the Union Ministry of Health to establish mechanisms to ensure the accountability of doctors and health officials in the public sector to achieve the desired goal of health for all.
The Prime Minister, who chaired the high-level meeting on healthcare, underlined the need to substantially improve the efficiency of the existing mechanisms and schemes and called for establishing synergy in all schemes for the health sector being run by the Central and state governments. Reviewing the progress of key health indicators such as under five mortality rate and Maternal Mortality Ratio, the Prime Minister asked for specific identification of the worst-performing districts and even within them, particular blocks which required the maximum attention.
He said that these areas should be targeted in a two-pronged approach -- prioritised health intervention and appropriate social interventions to dispel local beliefs and customs that may be hindering progress.
Modi said that animation films should be shown to women in health centres immediately post-delivery, to promote good health and nutrition habits. He said that simple technology interventions such as SMS should be used to reach ASHA workers across the country on a real-time basis.
Voicing concern about the prevalence of diseases like encephalitis especially among children, the Prime Minister asked the officials to prepare a road map to tackle such diseases, just like natural disasters and other national calamities are tackled. The PM emphasised that the effects of Swachhta Abhiyan should also become visible in hospitals and public health facilities across the country. Officials from the Health Ministry said that the Swachhta Abhiyan would contribute greatly to achieving the stated health goals.