Mega health screening campaign launched in Karnataka

BENGALURU: State Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar launched PM TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan across Karnataka. There are more than 36,000 tuberculosis patients in the state, of them, 30,000 are registered, he said, adding a person can sponsor a TB patient’s food for six months by contributing Rs 6,000.

The minister also launched the health department’s 15-day mega health screening and treatment campaign “Arogya Karnataka” at Bengaluru Medical College and Research Institute on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhya and Mahatma Gandhi’s birthdays to ensure that everyone can access health schemes.

Over 10,000 health workers and 40,000 ASHA workers will participate in the campaign. Eye screening will be done for 15 to 20 lakh children, and lens and spectacles will be distributed. Children will be also treated for anaemia. “We have target to give 5 crore Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka health cards in 100 days and 1 crore cards in the next 15 days. Hospitals should follow SOP on maternal mortality, reduce MMR to at least 35 like Kerala. Among 430 Namma clinics announced, 200 to 300 clinics will start operating in one or two months,” he said.