Journalism of Courage
Launched in December last year to ensure complete immunisation of children and pregnant women, the Centre’s Mission Indradhanush is grappling with implementation issues at the ground level. On Tuesday, a mobile team of the project scheduled to cover brick kilns and extremely poor families in Moga was denied a vehicle, following which the visit had to be cancelled.
While the senior medical officer (SMO) was adamant that the team of workers should arrange their own vehicle and that they would be compensated for fuel, the health workers on the other hand refused to go to the brick kilns if an ambulance was not provided.
As per official guidelines of Mission Indradhanush, however, the workers are entitled to mobile vans. “Mobile sessions should be planned at places where routine immunisation coverage is weak and the small number of beneficiaries does not warrant an independent session. These areas include peri-urban areas, scattered slums, brick kilns and construction sites. For these sessions, alternate means such as mobile vans should be planned. The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) department may support these mobile clinics through supplementary nutrition services that may be provided to beneficiaries in these difficult-to-reach areas (sic),” read the norms on the website of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
Tuesday’s mobile team consisting of 2 ANM workers, 2 ASHA workers and 1 LHV worker under the Singhwala sub-health centre in Moga were scheduled to visit labourers’ homes near the power grid in Singhwala, a bitumen plant on Baghapurana road and brick kilns in the villages of Gillan and Chhotian.
Speaking to The Indian Express, one of the team members said, “We were not provided ambulance and when we called up the driver, he said that as per the SMO’s orders, the vehicle would not be provided. The brick kilns are at least 15 kilometres from our centre and so it is not possible to reach them by foot. Neither do the team members have vehicles. The visit had to be cancelled”.
Dr Jasvir Singh, SMO Daroli Bhai said, “There is no compulsion that we have to provide vehicles and mobile teams are required to travel on their own. We compensate them for fuel charges”.
Moga civil surgeon Dr Renu Mangla, however, said she has called for an explanation from the SMO. “As per guidelines, we have to provide vehicles to mobile teams. I have called for explanation from the SMO”.
