Monthly Development meeting to be held at Sanskriti Annexe on 27th July 2010

In modification to earlier circulars, it is now decided that monthly meetings for all blocks shall be held on 27th July 2010 at Sanskriti from 10.30 hrs onwards. Programme Officers must prepare notes on agenda in brief and circulate copies to blocks through email by 23rd July 2010 so that they come prepared with responses. Hand out notes must be circulated in the meeting to minimise time of presentation. PPP must be to the point and specific.

Kudos to Divers from Chakdah - could search dead body from 100 m+ deep coal mines in few minutes

There has been tragic death of one coal workers in a coal mines on 17th July 2010, while working inside. Incident is unfortunate and pathetic. Divers from Kolkata Police were called by the district police but could not dare to go beyond 40m deep in the water. Official rescue teams from NDRF were also reluctant to do the job. Finally, SDO Durgapur requested private divers from Chakdah in Nadia to come. They were approached on 18th July morning and reached here by afternoon. Within 30 minutes these volunteers could trace out the dead body. Their experience and dedication is praiseworthy. This is third consecutive incident where these divers from Chakdah came to our rescue, when our own arrangements failed.

We need to train up some more such youths as part of our emergency preparedness. The youths can earn a handsome. ECL authorities paid them Rs 25000 for the job. But what I feel is that civil defence our Disaster Management volunteers can be equipped to tackle such emergencies. We can provide equipment support. SDOs may give a serious thought to it.

Meeting with Principal Secretary, Health at Burdwan

Dr. M.N. Roy, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of West Bengal during his visit at Burdwan on 10th July 2010 held a meeting with the District Level Officials in presence of District Magistrate, CMOH, ADM(Health), ADM & AEO ZP, Karmadhyakshya Janaswasthya o Paribesh Sthayee Samity Burdwan Zilla Parishad, all SDOs, all Dy. CMOH, ACMOH, Superintendent of Hospitals. He stressed on the following points :

• Preventive & Promotive health care facilities must be improved. The general ambience of the hospitals is to be made better. SDOs and ACMOHs are to take up one BPHC in each sub division to start with. Emergency services, toilets, labour rooms, OT are to be improved.
• Routine regular visits must be made from the sub division jointly by the SDO & ACMOH.
• Special emphasis should be givenon programmes like Pulse Polio Immunisation and TB detection.
• There are a good no. of sub centres in the district where there is no all weather approach road. There are times when patients cannot reach the sub centres due to poor connectivity. These are needed to be taken up in MGNREGS or other Schemes.
• Mark-III model pumps with overhead tanks are needed to be installed at sub centres with no pipeline water supply.
• Services of mobile health camps are needed to be improved.
• There is scope for improvement of functioning of Health Supervisors. They mostly do not attend the Gram Panvhayat which is their mandatory place of posting. Their sitting arrangement must be made at Gram Panchayat Office. BMOH is to check the Diaries of Supervisors.
• Routine Immunisation must be ensured.
• Institutional Delivery at PHCs to be improved. SDOs & ACMOHs are to take the leadership by choosing pilot PHCs @ 1 at each block at first.
• Fund allotted from NRHM to BPHC are to be utilised properly. Upgraded PHCs are to be made functional.
• Each and every maternal death is to be audited by concerned ACMOH.
• THe RKS Fund is to be utilised properly and with adequate planning and pace so that the outcome is effective and visible.
• ASHA is to be raised as effective community health worker.
• SDO & ACMOH must be more proactive in both financial & physical monitoring.
• Residential Quarters of BMOH, MO & Health Staff in rural areas are to be improved wherever necessary.
• Schol Health Programme is already under way in the district. This is a commendable effort and all out effort must be given to make it successful.

Fortunately, much of the targets which Dr. Roy mentioned have already been taken up by us in recent effort taken in the district; the sub divisional and block level teams are already on the go. The general health scenario, be it preventive & promotive or curative is bound to improve in the Team effort.