TIRUNELVELI: The ‘Varumun Kappom Thittam,’ which was introduced by the State Government six months ago to ensure the health of the rural poor and provide them better and free medical assistance at the right time, has benefited 93,524 persons in the district through 95 medical camps conducted till May end.
A major finding of these camps is that 1,764 persons were suffering from cardiac ailments. They were referred to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. After the scheme was launched on last December 31 at Puliyarai in the district by the Minister for Social Welfare, Poongothai Aladi Aruna, the Department of Health Services roped in a team of doctors to create health awareness among the rural masses.Twenty-two doctors, drawn from the fields of general medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, dermatology, paediatrics, ENT, ophthalmology, cervical cancer detection and psychology, screen the patients. Services of a qualified Siddha medical practitioner is also available. Moreover, an AIDS counsellor, fully equipped laboratory with auto analyser, two ECG machines and a scan are also part of the camp. A separate section is created for immunising the children with vaccines.
Based on investigations, patients requiring further treatment are referred to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital. A separate database has been created at TVMCH on case histories of patients being referred from ‘Varumun Kaappom’ medical camps.
A slew of tests
Electrocardiogram test is taken for heart patients and ultra sonogram for pregnant women. As the visitors are tested for blood cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, malarial, and tuberculosis infections, cervical cancer and cataract, it became an instant hit among the rural people.
During the 95 camps, scan was taken on 5,153 patients while ECG was used for 5,920 visitors. Similarly, blood test (1,183 persons), test for tuberculosis (5,440 beneficiaries) and test for malaria (34,025 patients) were conducted, which made it clear that 1,433 persons were suffering from diabetes, 1,183 from hypertension and 2,832 from psoriasis. A total of 5,015 patients were diagnosed of abnormalities in the breast, uterus and eye and referred to the TVMCH for advanced medical care, a Department of Health Services official here said.
Triple antigen and polio drops (30,536 children), vaccines for measles (30,506), tuberculosis (30,567) and tetanus (33,670 pregnant women) were also administered during the camps.
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