Health ATMs at 3 CHCs, to be functional soon

PRAYAGRAJ: With an aim to offer better health services to rural areas, three health ATMs at Bahadurpur, Jasra and Kaurihar community health centres have been installed by the district health authorities.
The health officials said that the health ATM will perform several pathological tests, dispense medicines, and help patients interact with doctors virtually.
The chief medical officer (Prayagraj) Dr Nanak Saran told TOI, "After the installation of Health ATMs, at a cost of around Rs 10 lakh each, at three CHCs including two in trans-Ganga areas and one in trans-Yamuna, we are now training the health staff for its operation." ATMs are being checked before making them fully operational round the clock, adds the CMO.
"Duties of medical and para-medical staff have been assigned to assist patients in conducting tests on health ATMs and get reports," he said, adding that the ATM will also maintain the patients records. It can conduct tests for 23 diseases in 15 to 20 minutes, he said.
With a person standing on sitting on its platform and with the help of available kits and samples, the machine can check the patients' condition, including their height, weight, body temperature, blood glucose, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation levels and also electrocardiogram (ECG) with the help of the required apparatus. It can be also integrated with medical devices for neurology, pulmonary, gynaecology, and cardiology tests as well with the help of required kits and samples, said the CMO. Besides, one can also get their blood and urine sugar report and get rapid tests of HBsAg, SD Chikungunya, TB Ag, Dengue NS1 & Combo Ab, Malarial P F & P V Ag, Syphilis done with required kits and instruments. Some tests need internet connection while some can be done without it.
According to experts, "A health ATM is an ideal solution to address the growing burden of increasing patients at CHCs and to disseminate primary healthcare services in trans-Ganga and trans-Yamuna areas.