Lucknow, Sep 17 (IANS) On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday, one of the biggest health drives began in Uttar Pradesh, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurating state-level programmes at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Scientific Convention Centre, KGMU.
CM Yogi announced smartphones and a salary hike for the Anganwadi workers and launched health camps across all 75 UP districts, prioritising women and childcare.
The Chief Minister performed ‘Annaprashan’ for infants and distributed nutritional supplements at the baby shower organised for pregnant women. He also pledged to provide smartphones to the Anganwadi workers, besides a substantial hike in honorarium.
A total of 20,324 health camps were organised across 75 districts of the state, where free tests for blood, blood pressure, diabetes, oral cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and TB were conducted. Nearly 507 blood donation camps were organised to encourage youth participation in the drive.
The Chief Minister appreciated the health department’s preparations and hoped that the 15-day drive would provide free treatment to thousands of patients. Aarogya Mandirs, community health centres, and medical colleges have been linked with these medical camps.
CM Yogi said that under PM Modi’s leadership, initiatives like Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, Matru Vandana, Kanya Sumangala, and the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam have been launched and welcomed by ‘New India’.
Notably, the UP government provides free education to girls, Rs 25,000 package under Kanya Sumangala Yojana, and Rs 1 lakh assistance for each daughter’s marriage under the Mass Marriage scheme. With 1.89 lakh Anganwadi centres and 10 lakh self-help groups, about 1 crore women have become self-reliant.
Highlighting the achievements in the health sector, CM Yogi said, “In Uttar Pradesh, 41 new medical colleges have been built in the past eight years. Infant mortality rate has dropped from 45 to 37, and maternal mortality rate is at 141.”
He said the figures reflect that UP is on the right path. Between 2015-16 and 2019-21, anaemia levels declined by 5.1 per cent. Improvements in maternal and infant mortality, along with reductions in anaemia, stunting, underweight, and wasting, indicate steady progress.
CM Yogi noted that encephalitis, which claimed 50,000 children’s lives over 40 years, has been eradicated. Efforts are also underway to eliminate malaria, dengue, kala-azar, and tuberculosis.
A Poshan Mission was also launched for children aged 3-6 years. He honoured the blood donors with 224 donations and Ni-kshay Mitras.
The Chief Minister appreciated the role of women’s self-help groups in rural and urban areas. He said 10 lakh rural and 1 lakh urban groups have made 1 crore women ‘atmanirbhar’.
He praised community efforts like blood donation and nutrition kit distribution.
–IANS
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