Sri Vijaya Puram, July 26: As part of the Government of India’s flagship TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (TMBMA), the District Administration, through the District Health Society, South Andaman, in coordination with the Directorate of Health Services, RMRC-ICMR, and the Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council, has commenced a series of General and Lung Health Awareness-cum-Screening Camps across key locations in the district.
The camps aim to raise community-level awareness on Tuberculosis (TB) and general lung health, screen vulnerable populations for early symptoms, and connect citizens to essential health services. The initiative also includes Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) creation and Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) Card generation, thereby ensuring health security for all eligible individuals.
The first camp was successfully held at Community Hall, Prothrapur, covering Ward Nos. 19 and 23, with a total of 55 people attending the event. Key services provided during the camp included Chest X-rays conducted using state-of-the-art hand-held X-ray machines provided by ICMR-RMRC. General health check-ups, including blood pressure and blood sugar screenings, carried out by trained medical staff. Screening for TB symptoms and assessment of vulnerability criteria by doctors from the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
Apart from this, ABHA IDs and PM-JAY e-Cards were generated for eligible participants to enable digital health records and access to free healthcare under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
In a strong gesture of support and community engagement, Smti. Radhika, Councillor of Ward No. 23, and Shri R. Vetrivelu, Councillor of Ward No. 19, attended the camp and also volunteered to undergo Chest X-ray screening, encouraging public participation and setting a commendable example of Jan Bhagidari (people’s participation) in health initiatives.
The District Administration has appealed to the public to actively participate in the upcoming screening camps and take full advantage of the health services being provided. Early detection and timely treatment remain the most effective tools in the fight against Tuberculosis
The schedule of subsequent camps across other wards has been notified and is available with the respective Health & Wellness Centres and Urban Local Bodies.