Assam health department expands national deworming campaign, screens 43 lakh for Tuberculosis

Assam's Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ashok Singhal,  shared an extensive update on the state's health programs during a press conference today, February 12 highlighting ongoing initiatives aimed at improving public health.

The National Deworming Day campaign has already made significant strides, reaching 67 lakh children across 22,000 government schools. The initiative, which involves more than 1.5 lakh government teachers, employees, and Anganwadi workers, will continue until February 17.

Singhal also discussed the large-scale tuberculosis screening program, which has successfully screened 43 lakh individuals. In addition, the government has introduced a new vaccination strategy using the 'U WIN' software, designed to enhance the efficiency of vaccination drives.

The Minister revealed that 50,000 newborns were registered in January alone, with 21,210 children already vaccinated.

Regarding medicine shortages, Singhal reassured the public that the state's government pharmacies would continue to maintain an adequate stock of essential medications. He advised that any shortages be immediately reported via WhatsApp, with accountability measures in place should the issue persist. The Minister also acknowledged the need to address gaps in the Essential Drug List (EDL) and assured that the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) would be working to resolve these.

To bolster the healthcare workforce, 400 new doctors will be recruited, with advertisements for these positions expected to be released soon. The new appointments aim to strengthen Assam’s healthcare system further and improve service delivery across the state.`