112 health volunteers trained

RAMANATHAPURAM

For Kalaiselvi, a health volunteer from Mandapam block in Ramanathapuram district, the day starts as early as 6 a.m. nowadays. She goes from door to door in the assigned areas in her ward on her two-wheeler with a list of patients, who were treated for various non-communicable diseases in government hospitals.

With the launch of the ‘Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam,’ (an initiative of the State government to reach out to the poor people), the district administration has 112 trained women health volunteers to take care of the patients in four blocks including Mandapam.

One among them is Kalaiselvi. She says that she underwent training on how to check blood pressure, blood sugar level of patients. ‘It has really been a satisfying experience for me as I feel happy when the patients show progress,’ she explained.

Collector J U Chandrakala said on Sunday that the Health Department officials had imparted training to over 100 women health volunteers on the basics of screening patients, checking their BP level while visiting their houses. The routine check-up helped in understanding the health condition and depending on the need basic drugs are given.

The volunteers are the fulcrum of the entire programme as they play the catalyst role between doctors and patients. The tests taken by the volunteers are reviewed periodically by doctors. According to the reports submitted, the patients health card would be gauged by the doctors at the GH or at the PHCs, Ms Chandrakala said.

Like Kalaiselvi, a SHG member, through the Mahalir Thittam, they were chosen for door-to-door checks of patients requiring medical intervention or screening. After training them, they have been handling the patients and giving them the required drugs.