J-K: Block Health Mela organised at Kathua's Hiranagar

The residents of Hiranagar in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir recently made their way towards the block's Health and Wellness Centre to attend the mega Health Mela.

Aimed at providing all the medicare facilities of OPD under one roof, the health mela included a number of services like Gynaecology, paediatric, ENT, Medicine, Dental, Orthopaedic and Physiotherapy.

Besides, free teleconsultation and online registration for Ayushman Bharat Golden cards were also made available to the villagers.

The health Mela was inaugurated by the Chief Medical Officer of Kathua, Dr Radha Krishan who inspected all the stalls set up by the health department and other allied departments in the presence of the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Block Medical Officer of Hiranagar.

CMO said they have roped in specialist doctors who will not just treat the patients but will also create awareness among them about various health schemes and diseases.

While talking to ANI, Dr Radha Krishan said, "In this health Mela, all kinds of medical facilities will be provided to patients. Specialist doctors associated with national programmes related to leprosy, tuberculosis and family welfare have been brought here to treat people and create awareness so that information regarding health can reach the people at the grassroots level."

Dr Krishan further said that the villagers can get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh by using Ayushman Bharat cards.

"We have health and wellness centres at a sub-centre level where the government has recruited Mid-level health providers (MLHPs) who will trace the diseases in a community and will also make Ayushman Bharat cards using which people can have free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh," he added.

Held in various blocks across Jammu and Kashmir, the health Mela was organised under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav as well to mark the 4th anniversary of the Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres scheme.

Alongside Health check-ups and free teleconsultation, people were also provided COVID-19 immunization and free Ayush medicines both allopathic and ayurvedic.

A local resident, Madhubala said, "Many doctors have come at this health Mela and patients are being provided free medicine. Registration for the Ayushman Bharat card is also being done."

Another local resident, Anil Sharma said that all the arrangements have been done here at this medical camp and people in huge numbers have participated in it and the treatment of various diseases is being done.

In order to sensitize people about the importance of health and well-being and bring varied health facilities to their doorsteps, the Union Health Ministry has organised such block level health Melas at more than one lakh Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres across the country.

In Jammu and Kashmir, health Melas are held in all 109 medical blocks and they will go on till April 30.

( With inputs from ANI )