The department of health and family welfare, National Health Mission, district administration, district Ayush, women and child development department and Srinivas Medical College, Mukka, will jointly organise a taluk-level Arogya Mela between April 18 and 22.
DHO Dr Kishore Kumar said that the event had been planned as per the directions from the Union government to mark Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The mela will help to create awareness of all systems of medicines among the people.
It will be held at Sudhana Residential School at Puttur (April 18), Krishnanugraha hall in Ujire (April 19), Surathkal PHC (April 20), DK ZP Higher Primary School, Kalladka (April 21) and KVG Medical College Hospital in Sullia (April 22).
Registration for general health check-ups with the creation of a digital health ID for citizens will be done at the mela. Registration and screening for non-communicable diseases (Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancers - Oral, Breast, Cervical) will be conducted along with treatment, and based on patient need, free referral services will be provided.
Distribution of health cards to eligible beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme will be taken up at the mela. The participants should get a copy of the ration card and Aadhaar for the registration of the card.
A separate booth will be set up in the health mela for the Covid-19 vaccination. Speciality services for mother and child health, eyes, skincare, ENT, dental and ortho will be provided along with other services, including free medicines and diagnostics to the citizens.
Provision of AYUSH clinical services including medicines for boosting immunity, improving lifestyle for health care, Yoga and meditation will also be informed. Counselling will be provided for adolescents in case of need.
The FSSAI will conduct food adulteration testing, laboratory tests on food safety in order to make the public aware of the consumption of nutritious food and also raise awareness of adulterated food through simple methods for testing adulteration at home.
Awareness will be provided through IEC activities about the state government's popular programmes pertaining to all other departments. An exhibition of medical plants will also be held.
Asha workers and nursing college students will present a skit on various health programmes of the government.
Source reduction activities
To a query on the rising dengue cases in the state, the DHO said that Dakshina Kannada did not notice any spike in cases. However, the rain in the last few days provides a conducive atmosphere for vector-borne diseases including malaria, and dengue.
All the ULBs and local bodies have been directed to concentrate on the source reduction activities to check the breeding of mosquitoes, he said.