Community Health Screening Facility ‘Arogyam’ Launched in Slums Of Odisha’s Berhampur

Berhampur: Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) on Sunday launched ‘Arogyam’, a free community health screening facility for labourers and poor people residing in slums.

As per the programme, the volunteers would cover all 168 slum pockets which under the BeMC in 60 to 80 days to collect necessary health database. The data collected through advanced laboratory tests will be analysed to map the disease prone and disease burden areas as a part of Integrated Health Surveillance.

It will also promote awareness about non-communicable diseases (NCD) and communicable diseases (CD) with a specific strategy among the slum population who are not covered by advanced testing under the public health programme, said Ganjam collector Divyajyoti Parida.

Necessary basic investigation will be done by digital diagnostic devices with mobile application. The devices include digital blood pressure measurement instrument, digital blood glucometer to test sugar level, digital hemoglobin meter for hemoglobin estimation, digital body composition analyser for full body check-up, stadiometer for height measurement, thermometer for body temperature, disposable tongue depressor for oral cancer screening, digital pulse oximetry for oxygen level, digital stethoscope for heart rate and heart position, digital lipid analyser for total cholesterol and electrocardiogram for quick detection of heart problems and monitor the heart’s health.

The project is implemented with a cost of around Rs 76.53 lakh. If the findings of the programme are satisfactory, it will be extended to non-slum areas of BeMC, official sources said.