Extended support to states for implementation of national programmes: Health secy to officers

Regional directors must extend required technical support to state agencies for the implementation of national programmes, Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan said Wednesday.

After inaugurating a three-day capacity building workshop for Regional Offices of Health and Family Welfare (ROHFWs) at Nirman Bhavan here, Sudan appreciated the role played by regional offices in coordinating with state authorities especially in the 2018 Kerala floods.

"Regional directors must extend requisite technical support to state agencies in implementation of national programmes and should focus on operationalising Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) under Ayushman Bharat," she said.

Sudan interacted with regional directors and asked them to involve themselves in state activities and become part of state conversations through specific groups of the health ministry.

While reviewing Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, she asked the regional directors to work on containment of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

The secretary also asked the officials to focus on immunisation in Uttar Pradesh, control and elimination of Kala-Azar in endemic districts of Bihar, and combating HIV/AIDS in Nagaland.

Director General of Health Services S Venkatesh, who was present at the workshop, highlighted the crucial role played by RoHFWs in the control of Nipah and Zika outbreaks in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan respectively.

"Clarity in roles of regional directors is required for contributing effectively and efficiently to national programmes and new initiatives of Ministry of Health," he added.