The Arogya Mahila programme, launched by Health Minister T Harish Rao on March 8 in Karimnagar, has received a positive response from women in the state. The programme offers free medical services to women across 100 centres in 24 districts every Tuesday. The services provided include diagnostic tests for breast cancer, cervical cancer, oral cancer, urinary bladder infections, micronutrient deficiency, thyroid and vitamin-D deficiency. In the first week of the programme, 4,793 women were tested and 975 received necessary medication. Those requiring higher levels of medical care were referred to the nearest referral centre.
The programme has been especially helpful for women who may not have known about their health problems or could not afford medical treatment. In the second week, 6,328 women visited the Arogya Mahila Clinics and underwent diagnostic tests for various health issues. The programme aims to expand to 1,200 centres in a phased manner. Women have expressed happiness that a day has been set aside for them and medical services are being provided. The Arogya Mahila programme is an important step towards improving the health and well-being of women in the state.
