The maiden District Health Assembly (DHA) was held here on Friday with Collector V. Vishnu chairing the meet to identify challenges in the health sector by organising comprehensive discussion with the stakeholders.
“Public health sector service delivery will be effective only if the community actively participates in the whole process of planning and service delivery. In this regard, to increase citizen empowerment and social accountability of the health sector to its citizens, the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Reforms Program (TNHSRP) has proposed to convene district and State Health Assemblies with the support of the World Bank. The purpose of the DHA is to discuss health challenges and felt needs of the people and establish dialogue between different stakeholders at the community level,” Mr. Vishnu said while explaining the purpose of the meet.
In the current year of 2021-2022, the DHA is to be conducted in 10 districts including Tirunelveli.
With due COVID-19 precautions, the meeting was held in a hybrid model with the District Organizing and Working Committeesattending the meet from the Collectorate while the block-level officials and representatives of the public participated in the meeting virtually.
The District team comprises of the Collector, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, Deputy Director of Health Services, Joint Director of Health Services, Dean of Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, Project Officer of Integrated Child Development Scheme and other health department officials of the district and representatives of Non-Governmental Organisations and a few others.
The village and block-level assemblies were conducted earlier, wherein the representatives of the public and members of self-help groups were given opportunity to express their needs, gaps in healthcare service delivery and other health-related issues such as water supply, sanitation, anganwadi services, school health, gender equity etc.
After arriving at a consensus for possible solutions, their proposals were compiled under the guidance of Block Medical Officers and Block Development Officers. These resolutions were prioritised and taken up for discussion at the DHA held here on Friday.
During the DHA, the public representatives including panchayat presidents and the general public participated and put forward their concerns regarding access to healthcare services, which were addressed by the Collector and other dignitaries.
“The resolutions finalised by the committee members were categorised into those that can be resolved at the district-level while infrastructure needs requiring the intervention of the State will be put forth during the State Health Assembly,” Mr. Vishnu said.
District Revenue Officer A. Perumal, Dean, TVMCH, M. Ravichandran, Joint Director, Health Services Venkataramanan and Deputy Director, Health Services, Krishnaleela participated in the meeting.
