Special patient search campaign: 8.66 crore people to be surveyed in Maharashtra

Survey to include examination of patients for leprosy, TB, High BP, Diabetes, Oral Cancer, Brest Cancer and Uterine Cancer and also public awareness.

M.S.Naula | Mumbai

Coinciding with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi a special patient search campaign has been launched in the state from yesterday. This will continue till September 28. Under this campaign nearly 8.66 crore people from will be examined for various diseases.

This survey will cover all the people of the rural areas and 30 percent risk bearing urban population. The surveyors are visiting each and every house for identification. This campaign will help early diagnosis and early treatment of the patients, State Health Minister Eknath Shinde said. Maharashtra the first state to jointly implement special patient search drive This campaign is being jointly implemented for three programs in one go in the entire state and survey is being done by 70, 778 trained surveyors. They will cover 1.73 crore houses through 14000 supervisors. This program is being implemented jointly to bring leprosy and TB patients under treatment and provide them immediate medication using medicines made available by the government.

Besides, this ambitious campaign aims at creating public awareness among the population above 30 years of age about High BP, Diabetes and Cancer. This campaign is important to ensure early diagnosis and early treatment to the patients thereby reducing the percentage of such diseases. Maharashtra happens to be the first state in the country to jointly implement this initiative, Health Minister Shinde said.

For coordination and success of this campaign a state level committee is formed besides district and taluka level committees and awareness committee at various levels. Micro planning and workshops are organized for successful implementation of this campaign. Officers and employees of health and other departments are joining this campaign for creating awareness, the Health Minister said.

Various government departments, voluntary organizations, institutions, and professional institutions are also participating in this campaign. During the survey, leprosy, TB, High BP, Diabetes, Oral Cancer, Breast Cancer and Uterine cancer patients will be medically examined by medical officers. After that diagnosis will be done through various medical examination and they will be provided free treatment. This initiative is most important for creating healthy society and the Health Minister appealed all to actively participate in this campaign to achieve the target of creating a healthy society.