The concept of health and wellness centres is being promoted in the rural areas of Rajasthan to ensure community engagement and accountability for delivery of primary healthcare services amid the decline in the number of active COVID-19 positive cases. A large number of community health officers (CHOs) have been recruited for the purpose.
The wellness centres are expected to provide universal healthcare and reduce out-of-pocket expenses for the villagers. The State government has treated the establishment of wellness centres as a step to reduce the burden on front-line health workers, who had faced difficulties during the pandemic because of the shortage of public health professionals.
Jaipur-based Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) University was selected for providing orientation to the trainers who will guide the CHOs in providing palliative and rehabilitative care and extending the first-level care for emergencies and trauma, including essential drugs and diagnostic services.
The State government has also posted health consultants and health assistants in the rural areas following a recommendation made by medical bodies and research institutions. IIHMR University president P.R. Sodani said here on Saturday that the CHOs would help strengthen the existing healthcare facilities in the primary and community health centres.
Dr. Sodani said the training at the university was aimed at increasing the human resource capacity of healthcare workers and helping the rural populace with better accessibility and affordability for wellness delivery system. The Union Health Ministry’s Ayushman Bharat Scheme had adopted a similar approach for delivery of a comprehensive range of health services, he said.
First wellness centre
The State’s first wellness resource centre was launched in Jaipur in April this year in collaboration with Indus Wellness Code Trust (IWCT) of Silicon Valley, U.S., with the focus on catering to the wellness needs by reckoning on each person’s individual characteristics. The IIHMR University signed a memorandum of understanding with the IWCT for establishing the centre.
The centre provides relevant information to the visitors and offers evidence-based resources in audio, video and text formats on multiple dimensions of wellness with the emphasis on a holistic model of health, happiness and well-being. The MoU has also sought to influence the government’s policies towards wellness and prevention of diseases.