Health Profile Scheme

• The ‘Health Profile Scheme’, which is currently being piloted in Mulugu and Rajanna Sircilla districts of the state, has a twofold objective
• (i) to create a digitized database of the vital health parameters of all individuals in the region that can be accessed by all government hospitals in the state, thus facilitating proper course of treatment in case of emergencies and other illnesses
• (ii) to understand the unique disease profiles of different areas within the state, take necessary preventive measures, and implement localized solutions for the area-specific health problems.
• The pilot involves door-to-door sample collection followed by the issuing of a health card to each individual, for holding all their health information at one place.

Basti Dawakhanas

• ‘Basti Dawakhanas’ are an innovative initiative of the Government of Telangana to bring healthcare services close to the urban poor. 256 Basti Dawakhanas have been established by the state in urban slums so far, with one Basti Dawakhana serving 5,000 to 10,000 persons.
• These centers provide 53 different kinds of free health services including outpatient consultation, medicines, basic lab diagnosis, antenatal/postnatal care, and screening for non-communicable diseases. Specialist consultation is also provided at Basti Dawakhanas through Telemedicine.
• Basti Dawakhanas reduce travel and waiting time for patients, reduce out-of- pocket-expenditure for patients by serving as an efficient platform for convergence with other NHM programmes, and reduce the burden on secondary and tertiary health care facilities.
• Since the launch of the scheme in 2018, 69.18 lakh people have availed services of 256 Basti Dawakhanas in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area, at an expense of Rs. 80.82 crores to the Government.

Palle Dawakhanas

• To ensure that people residing in rural areas have access to the same quality healthcare services as their urban counterparts, including round- the-clock access to doctors, the Government has started the process of converting sub-centres to “Palle Dawakhanas”.
• The Palle Dawakhanas will deliver comprehensive primary healthcare services to the local population, will stock medicines for common ailments, and have a fully-equipped laboratory to conduct basic diagnostic tests. Specialist consultations would be available through telemedicine facilities.

Telangana Diagnostics Scheme

• Even though the costs associated with getting diagnostic tests done for medical examinations are very high, most government hospitals do not have facilities for inexpensive diagnostic testing.
• To bridge this gap, the Government of Telangana launched the ‘Telangana Diagnostic Scheme’ in 2018, as a hub-and-spoke model, to provide low- cost pathological diagnostic services and imaging services to the people, with an apex laboratory acting as the hub, and the Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), Area Hospitals (AHs), etc. serving as the spokes. This model was developed in Hyderabad district, and was subsequently expanded to the entire state.
• Currently, 20 district-level diagnostic hubs and 300 spoke centers are operational in the state. The district hubs conduct 60+ types of tests with high-end diagnostic equipment, including auto-analyzers, digital X-rays, ultrasound scan machines, mammograms etc. Imaging services are provided through 8 mini-hubs.
• Going forward, 13 new district hubs are proposed to be established in the coming months, and imaging services are proposed to be established at 19 district hubs. Further, it is planned that in the future, RT-PCR labs will be co-located with these diagnostic hubs in all districts.

Telangana Dialysis Scheme

• Telangana is one of the few states in the country to provide quality dialysis services free of cost to its citizens through non-reusable equipment. 42 dialysis centers have been established at district and sub-district hospitals in a hub and spoke model under Public-Private Partnership, with the aim of providing dialysis services in a decentralized manner in all districts in the state.
• Every year, approximately 6 lakh dialysis sessions are conducted across these centers benefitting an average of 8,500 patients per year. Since state formation, an amount of Rs. 555.83 crore has been spent by the Government in performing dialysis for 68,968 beneficiaries.

Aarogyasri Scheme (now Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) – Aarogyasri)

• Arogyasri Scheme (AS) is a unique State Government-sponsored health insurance scheme being implemented by the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust in Telangana. The objective of the scheme is to help the 87.5 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in the state by reducing catastrophic health expenditures through cashless and equitable access to quality healthcare.
• The scheme provides the beneficiaries with coverage up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year, and an additional financial coverage up to Rs. 10 lakh for high-end procedures.
• In May 2021, the Government of Telangana dovetailed this scheme with the Government of India’s Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). All existing Aarogyasri beneficiaries and benefits were brought under the converged scheme. In addition, the 646 procedures that can be availed under PMJDY are being made available through government hospitals in the state.

AYUSH(Ayurveda,Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy)

• The Telangana Government, along with the National AYUSH Mission (NAM), has been encouraging the AYUSH systems of medicine since the state’s formation. Currently, there are 860 dispensaries, hospitals, and institutions functioning under the AYUSH Department.
• Telangana is the only state with pharmacies in 3 systems of AYUSH – Ayurveda, Unani, and Homoeopathy – and has taken up several upgradation programmes for AYUSH dispensaries/Hospitals.
• At present, AYUSH Wellness Centers are functioning in Hyderabad and Warangal districts, whereas AYUSH wings are being strengthened in other district hospitals.
• To provide greater push to its AYUSH initiatives, the Government has taken up proposals for upgrading 421 AYUSH dispensaries as Health and Wellness Centers, and establishing 50-bedded integrated AYUSH hospitals at Ananthagiri Hills, Vikarabad, Siddipet and Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts.

Employee And Journalist Health Scheme

• To provide cashless treatment to all state government employees, pensioners, journalists, and their dependent family members, the ‘Employees and Journalist Health Scheme’ has been implemented by the Government.
• Out-patient treatments are provided through wellness centers, and in-patient treatment through the 344 empaneled hospitals to the 12,04,654 beneficiaries enrolled under the scheme. Since state formation, approximately 3 lakh persons have benefitted through this scheme, at an expense of Rs.1,245.3 crores to the state exchequer.

Emergency Health Transportation Services (Emergency (108), MCH (102), Fixed Day Health Services (104) and Free Hearse Services

• The Government of Telangana provides the following free transportation services for health-related needs to different categories of beneficiaries:
• 108 Service: 24-hour free transportation, 365 days a year through 394 ambulances to aid patients during emergencies.
• 102 Service: Free transportation to pregnant women for ANC check-ups and delivery through the 300 Amma Vodi vehicles. This service caters to an average of 98,648 women each month.
• 104 Service: Once-a-month fixed day service at rural habitations located beyond 3 km from a PHC or CHC according to a predetermined calendar, to provide pregnancy monitoring, treatment for infants and children, and for patients suffering from chronic ailments. This is done through the 198 mobile vehicles equipped with medical and laboratory equipment to perform basic diagnostic tests, as well as a cold chain unit to store vaccines and blood samples.
• Free Hearse Service: The 41 vehicles operated under this service transport dead bodies from hospitals to the choice of location of the deceased family.

National Tobacco Control Programme

• The National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) is being implemented in all 33 districts with the objective of monitoring of tobacco control laws and setting-up and strengthening of cessation facilities including provisioning of pharmacological treatment facilities at the district level.
• District Level Coordination Committees (DLCC) have been formed in each district for its implementation. Enforcement Squads have been identified at the district level to conduct raids in coordination with the Police department. Since 2014 till date, a total of 90,000 challans have been issued.

National Mental Health Program

• Recognizing the importance of emotional, psychological, and social well-being of its citizens, the Government of Telangana has rolled out the National Mental Health Program in all districts, and has undertaken the recruitment of District Mental Health Professional (DMHP) teams under the National Health Mission.
• Additionally, a Mental Health Screening application has been developed in the state for the identification of Common Mental Health Disorders (CMD). The app is currently being piloted in select PHCs of 9 districts, covering a total population of 1.8 crore persons, out of which 6.2 lakh have been identified as risk-prone.
• Identification of persons as risk-prone is followed by referrals to psychiatrists, follow-up services by Medical Officers (MO), and if required, inpatient services through the District Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Clinics where Mental Health wards have been identified for the treatment of patients.

KANTI VELUGU

• The programme has been launched by the Government of Telangana On 15th Aug 2018 across all districts in Telangana State. The aim was to identify and treat eye health problems of the people of Telangana, covering a population of 3.70 Crore with an aim to make Avoidable Blindness Free Telangana.
• Accordingly, free universal Eye Camps are being initiated across all the districts under KANTI VELUGU with equal emphasis on urban and rural population of 33 districts. Interestingly, the beneficiaries were being given free spectacles nearly 34.91, and operations will be conducted to the detected cases if required/prescribed.

THE FOCUS Of THE PROGRAMME REMAINS TOWARDS:

• Universal eye screening.
• Providing reading glasses, medicines on the spot and prescription glasses in 45 days. Arranging for surgeries, other forms of treatments.

KCR KIT SCHEME

• The government of Telangana has embarked upon an initiative called “KCR KIT” & Hon’ble chief Minister has launched the KCR KIT scheme on 3rd June 2017.
• The implementation is supported by an IT enabled system and all the payments are done through DBT. Dash boards are available for easy monitoring by the Medical Officers and DM&HOs. The IT system is integrated with 102 services for transportation of pregnant women.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Increase in 1st trimester registrations from 18% to 34%.
• KCR KIT has considerably reduced the out-of-pocket expenditure incurred by the poor on Deliveries.
• Increased public confidence in the Govt. facilities for regular check-ups, deliveries and immunization
• (Improved antenatal and Postnatal care)

e-HMS (e-Hospital Management System)

• The e-HMS (e-Hospital Management System) is a major step towards adapting technology to improve healthcare services. The eHMS incorporates an integrated computerized clinical information system for improved hospital administration and patient health care services. The eHMS has the functionalities of Integrated Hospital Management System covering PAS (Patient administration Services), Clinical and Diagnostic Services, Support Services, Personnel and Financial Management with a seamless integration with e-Aushadhi [Supply Chain Management (SCM)] system.

Major Outcomes

• Reduction in waiting time for citizens
• Quality time spent by the doctor, due to online availability of EMR/EHR
• Investigation reports made available online
• Reduction in manual writing by doctors and nursing staff by providing them user friendly drop down menus and dashboards
• Real time availability of OPD/IPD data of hospitals (Aadhaar enabled Tracking)
• Easy referrals of patients within hospital and other referral hospitals
• Data analysis will lead to better disease surveillance
• Real time availability of bed availability across hospitals

e-Aushadhi

• The Corporation has adopted the e-Aushadhi Software for the process of Online Indenting, Distribution & Prescription-Audit of Drugs & Surgicals, from Peripheral to State level.
• The e-Aushadhi project, deals with the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Drugs and Surgicals; has been live at the CMS level at all the District HQs in the State since June 2015. The system acts as a track-n-trace mechanism for each and every drug/surgical right from procurement to supply to end user (citizen).

Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP)

• Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP) was established with effect from 2nd June 2014 on bifurcation of United State of Andhra Pradesh in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh States separately (the Organization was established under an act of legislation enacting an act No.29 of 1986 solely to manage secondary level hospitals in the State.159 hospitals were developed under World Bank funding during 1995-02. They were provided with new buildings, minor & major equipment. Staff was given training in skill up-dation to better manage the hospitals and provide patient care) Subsequently some Primary Health Centres were transferred to secondary care.

Q. How important is it to bolster the public health system in order to realize the state government’s goal of achieving “Aarogya Telangana”.