Mangaluru
A government circular has indicated that many members of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) mobile health teams are likely to lose their jobs. In Dakshina Kannada district, there are 16 RBSK mobile health teams.
Each team comprises two doctors, a nursing staff member, an optician, and a pharmacist. They are responsible for visiting schools, colleges, and anganwadis to regularly check children’s health status, prescribe medicine, and refer children to hospitals if they need advanced care under the National Health Mission (NHM).
RBSK members said the government circular indicated the discontinuation of their services in a phased manner. Quoting a circular issued by the health department on October 18, RBSK members said that directions have already been given to districts for the redistribution of mobile health teams of the RBSK. The circular directs districts to withdraw or discontinue the poorly performing mobile health teams based on the 2019-20 to 2023-24 Swasthya Kirana performance by serving a month’s notice before December 2, members said.
In a memorandum submitted to health and family welfare minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, the RBSK mobile health team members have requested the govt not to withdraw teams from the district at any cost. The mobile health teams of the NHM have been visiting schools, colleges, and anganwadis twice a year to check the health of children below 18 years.
Children who suffer from heart ailments, cleft lips, physical deformities, congenital hearing impairment, and other issues are provided treatment through the empanelled hospitals. The teams also facilitate free distribution of spectacles for children who have vision impairment and cochlear implants in case of hearing impairment. The teams also play a major role in communicating with parents to facilitate surgeries free of cost, members stated in the memorandum.
