A proposal to collect blood samples free of cost from the doorsteps of the residents across the State as part of a measure to monitor diabetes is on the anvil, Health Minister M. R. K. Panneerselvam said here on Wednesday.
The State government will provide the facility to village health nurses to draw blood samples and monitor blood pressure levels. The nurses will also offer counselling and direct those requiring further investigations to primary health centres. The project is part of the State government's ‘Varummun Kappom' scheme, the Minister told reporters on the sidelines of a function to felicitate non-governmental organisation Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) on its diamond jubilee celebrations. The proposal will be announced in the State budget, he added.
Listing the schemes developed by the government, Mr.Panneerselvam said the focus is on improving women's health. The FPAI had been working to protect women's rights through its various activities.
The Minister distributed the AVM Rajeswari Ammal Awards to various organisations and women self-help groups for their work in the field of women's health. He declared open the renovated AVM Health Centre building in Vadapalani and also launched the NGO's educational material.
Mayor M. Subramanian said that though the government had initiated action against some organisations that made false claims there still were some bogus organisations that continue their operations in the city. Felicitating the FPAI, he said it had supplemented the government's work in improving the health indices of women in the State.
The FPAI President, Sujatha Natarajan, said that the function coincided with AVM Rajeswari Ammal's birth anniversary. FPAI Secretary General V.M. Koliwad and other senior members of the Chennai branch of the organisation spoke. Meena Veerappan, president of AVM Charities, was honoured for its support to FPAI.
