The Hindu 28.12.2013
Harsh Mander assesses health, sanitation facilities in city
Fomer IAS officer Harsh Mander, technical adviser to the
Union government on National Urban Health Mission and special
commissioner to the Supreme Court for right to food, on Friday took a
look at the health and sanitation facilities in Kochi Corporation area
as part of his study across the country for National Urban Health
Mission.
M. Beena, director, National Rural Health
Mission, Kerala, chaired the session held with Mayor Tony Chammany,
Deputy Mayor B. Bhadra, T. K. Ashraf, standing committee chairman,
councillor K. J. Sohan, P. K. Jameela, director, Health Services, Tani
Thomas, Kudumbasree district coordinator among others.
The
meeting listed out the public health facilities in the corporation area
and how accessible they are to the urban poor. A robust health
infrastructure network of the rural areas needs to be replicated for the
urban area too, it was said as the existing system was too inadequate
to address the health needs.
The team headed by Mr.
Mander also visited slum dwellers in Udaya Colony near Kadavanthra and
Santhom Colony in Moolamkuzhi to understand the need of housing, water,
sanitation and health care of the slum dwellers.
The health system also needs to address alcoholism and mental health, it was decided at the meeting.
One
primary health centre for a population of 50,000 would bring in 12 PHCs
in the urban setting here with each PHC needing two doctors and four
staff nurses. Mr. Mander will also be visiting Thrissur to study the
town’s health needs.
On Saturday, Mr. Mander will
have meetings with the State and district Health authorities at the
General Hospital. He will also have interactions with ASHA and
Kudumbasree workers in the health sector.
