HT Digital
GUWAHATI, Jan 24: In a significant step towards transforming healthcare in Assam’s tea gardens, the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 22 to upgrade 354 tea garden hospitals into Ayushman Arogya Mandir Sub-centres, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) announced on Friday.
The initiative will ensure quality healthcare for tea garden workers and their families, addressing long-standing health challenges in these areas.
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The event, held under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, was attended by Ashok Singhal, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Irrigation, as the Chief Guest.
Other dignitaries included Ministers Pijush Hazarika, Prashanta Phukan, Rupesh Gowala, and Krishnendu Paul, alongside various MLAs.
Minister Ashok Singhal, in his address, highlighted the pressing health issues faced by tea garden workers, such as anemia, malnutrition, high maternal and neonatal mortality rates, hypertension, and diabetes.
He also noted the prevalence of tuberculosis, leprosy, and diarrhoea, exacerbated by inadequate healthcare infrastructure and poor sanitation in tea estates.
Meanwhile, the Government of Assam has already implemented several initiatives to improve healthcare in tea gardens.
These include Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) services, the Wage Compensation Scheme for pregnant women, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) with tea estate hospitals, free medicine and patient transport services, and the construction of new hospitals under Assam Tea Corporation Limited.
Additionally, building on these efforts, the establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across 354 tea estates will provide comprehensive healthcare services and promote healthy living.
Each sub-centre will be staffed with a dedicated Community Health Officer trained to deliver services under 12 health packages.
These include maternal and neonatal care, child and adolescent health, family planning, management of infectious and non-communicable diseases, ENT, oral and mental healthcare, emergency medical services, and elderly care.
