Principal Secretary (Health) M.T. Krishna Babu and Health & Family Welfare Commissioner J. Nivas and ECHO India associate vice-president Sandeep Balla during the inauguration of Project ECHO Immersion programme, in Vijayawada on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI
Principal Secretary (Health, Medical and Family Welfare) M.T. Krishna Babu said that the State aims at treating 80% of the ailments at the village level and the healthcare system is being strengthened accordingly.
One such initiative is the ‘Family Doctor’ programme launched in the State recently, he said.
Mr. Krishna Babu was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day Project ECHO Immersion programme organised by Project ECHO India and National Health Mission (NHM) in Vijayawada on April 18 (Tuesday).
He said that the Project ECHO would provide training to all the staff of health facilities starting from a ward boy to the highest authority. All the staff of the Health Department will undergo training on the ‘Family Doctor’ programme.
“The government believes that change in the behaviour of health staff leads to the improvement of services at the State-run healthcare facilities. In cases of emergency, many depend on local healthcare facilities and it is important to impart special skills to the staff at the PHCs,” said Mr. Krishna Babu.
“Improved health infrastructure and facilities will ensure early detection of ailments, he said, adding that all the 48,000 staff recruited recently by the Health Department will be trained.
Health and Family Welfare Commissioner and NHM director J. Nivas said that training by Project ECHO would hone the skills of healthcare providers.
Project ECHO associate vice-president Sandeep Balla said the Project ECHO was serving in 180 countries and started its operations in India in 2008. “Around 20 States have signed MoU with the Project ECHO to train doctors, community health officers, nurses, dentists, ASHA workers, ANMs, teachers and students, specialist doctors and others,” he said.