(From left) Director of Regional Information Directorate SK Malviya, health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey and director of Mahavir Vatsalya Hospital Dr SP Srivastav at the workshop in Patna on Wednesday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Aug. 24: The Regional Information Directorate of the central government organised a daylong workshop on National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in the capital today. Various speakers spoke on developments and hindrances coming in the way of successful implementation of various NRHM schemes and programmes.

Inaugurating the workshop, health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said the majority of rural population in the state still lacks awareness and consciousness regarding important issues of health and family welfare.

“We have come a long way in providing quality healthcare to the people in the state and in creating awareness among the masses. However, we still have a long way to go before we can match up to national parameters,” said Choubey. He added: “It is unfortunate that despite our efforts and initiatives, we fare poorly on many important health indicators. It is matter of great worry for the government.” Choubey added that to give impetus to programmes like Janani Surakhsha Yojana, breastfeeding, reducing infant mortality rate, the present year has been declared as Maternal Safety Year. “We know for sure that India as a country will be developed only when Bihar is developed. And no state can be entirely developed till its people are healthy, safe and have access to the best healthcare services,” he said.

S.K. Malviya, the director of Regional Information Directorate, said the central government had launched NRHM in 2005 across the country to provide easy, affordable and responsible medicare to the poorest of the poor.

“The directorate will organise mass awareness campaigns in nine states, including Bihar, during which 624 camps will be held from September to January. Sixty-four camps will be held in Bihar,” he said. Malviya added: “During these awareness camps, free health tests, rallies, seminars, competitions, cultural programmes, street plays, film shows and others would be organised to educate and inform people about health-related issues. Our aim is to ensure community participation in these programmes so they become aware about the need of family welfare programmes.”

Senior officials from Unicef, Bihar State Health Society, Mahavir Vatsalya Hospital and BBC World Trust Service also stressed the need of extension and better implementation of NRHM initiatives in the state and said these programmes can ensure access to standard healthcare for people.