Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to launch the ambitious ‘My Village, Healthy villageCampaign to transform the rural landscape of Maharashtra and ensure that quality healthcare services are made available to citizens at their doorstep in rural areas.
The nationwide initiative will be implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, official sources said.
The initiative was undertaken by order of Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakash Abitkar and Minister of State Meghna Sakore Bordikar, and will be launched across the state from April 1.
The government aims to ensure that this campaign goes beyond being just a government program and evolves into a mass health movement through public participation.
Under this proposed campaign, every village will be developed into a healthy village. The campaign will strengthen health care services and systems from the village level to the state level. In addition, the campaign will help provide healthcare services to people at the grassroots level.
A key feature of the ‘My Village, Healthy Village’ campaign is its emphasis on prevention rather than treatment.
The main objective is to bring about positive changes in health-related habits in rural areas and encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles. The campaign will focus not only on the treatment of diseases, but also on their prevention by emphasizing basic aspects such as sanitation, safe drinking water, waste water management and nutrition. It will also cover communicable diseases as well as lifestyle diseases along with maternal and child health and mental health. Healthcare systems at all levels, from gram panchayats to district councils, will actively participate in the campaign. The state government aims to spread awareness about cleanliness and health in villages and implement the concept of a ‘healthy village’ through the campaign.
To ensure effective implementation of the ‘My Village, Healthy Village’ campaign, committees have been constituted at three levels – from the state level to the gram panchayat level. A state-level committee, headed by Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, will oversee the entire campaign. Meanwhile, an implementation committee led by the Principal Secretary of the Department of Health will plan and implement field activities.
At the village level, special evaluation criteria have been set and villages scoring more than 70 percent under these parameters will be given the status of a “Healthy Village”. Such villages will be recognized and encouraged through mementos, certificates and cash rewards.
The state government has sanctioned a fund of Rs 80.75 crore for the campaign. hospitals will get a special award of Rs 75 lakh. Sub-health centers will be awarded Rs 5 lakh at the district level and Rs 25 lakh at the state level for securing first place. Similarly, primary health centers will get Rs 10 million at the district level and Rs 50 million at the state level.
