VIJAYAWADA: Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav emphasised the shared responsibility in creating a healthier State by tackling childhood diseases and deficiencies through the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). This health protection initiative for children was launched at Koneru Basavaiah Chaudhary Zilla Parishad High School in NTR district on Friday.
The Minister highlighted that the RBSK programme aims to identify 44 health conditions in children from birth to 18 years, offering free treatment. Health check-ups will be conducted Statewide across Anganwadis, schools, and high schools, focusing on congenital defects, childhood illnesses, growth issues, and disabilities. Children from underprivileged and middle-class families will benefit, with advanced care provided through District Early Intervention Centres (DEICs) and 639 Bhavita Centres.
The programme aligns with the State’s vision of a prosperous ‘Swarnandhra Pradesh’ by 2047. The Minister called for collaboration among education, health, and child welfare departments for this six-month initiative.
MLA G Rammohana Rao commended Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for prioritising healthcare and education for the poor. Special Chief Secretary for Health, MT Krishna Babu, said 68 lakh kids, including 28 lakh from Anganwadis and 48 lakh from schools, will undergo screenings and receive free treatment. Awareness posters and an RBSK photo exhibition were unveiled.