HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Feb 6: Health minister Ashok Singhal embarked on his maiden visit to the office of the National Health Mission (NHM) on Thursday after assuming office.
Singhal conducted a comprehensive review of the organisation. The review focused on strengthening healthcare delivery, enhancing NHM’s key programs, and addressing critical public health challenges in the state.
Related Posts:
During the meeting, Singhal assessed maternal and child health, adolescent health programs (RBSK and RKSK), family planning, nutrition, immunization, the National Disease Control Program, the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Program, and non-communicable disease and mental health programs.
The minister directed the integration of child and adolescent health monitoring under a single unified framework covering the 0-19 years age group.
He said, “This sector should be a top priority for the Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) Department, ensuring a holistic and streamlined approach to healthcare for young populations.”
To enhance transparency and efficiency, Singhal instructed the H&FW department to prepare a comprehensive annual report in April, encompassing key data, programs, and achievements across all verticals. This report will serve as a benchmark for progress assessment and strategic planning.
Recognising the importance of public awareness, he directed NHM to develop a content calendar and media strategy to enhance the visibility and outreach of NHM’s initiatives and achievements. Expressing concern over arsenic and fluoride contamination in multiple districts of Assam, Singhal emphasised the need for a multi-sectoral approach to address this serious public health issue.
He urged the H&FW Department to collaborate with departments like Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Jal Jeevan Mission to formulate a comprehensive mitigation strategy.
