Telangana to prepare health profiles of 46 lakh SHG women, screening to begin from March 8

The Telangana health department has decided to prepare comprehensive health profiles of women belonging to self-help groups (SHGs) across the State, with large-scale screening set to begin on March 8 on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Each woman will undergo 30 types of medical tests through Telangana Diagnostics as part of the initiative.

The decision was taken during a review meeting chaired by Health Minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha on Wednesday, to discuss programmes to be undertaken under the 99-day ‘Praja Palana – Pragati Pranalika’ Plan.

The Minister directed officials to implement the action plan from March 6 to June 12 while ensuring that routine medical services in hospitals are not disrupted. The plan will be implemented in four phases.

The first phase, scheduled from March 6 to March 31, will focus on maternal and child health, adolescent girls, and healthcare services for the elderly. During this period, administrative improvements such as sanitation management in hospitals, clearance of pending files, and verification of assets will also be undertaken. Field-level activities will include screening of children in schools and Anganwadi centres to detect anaemia and other health issues.

During this phase, the State will launch the Self Help Group Women’s Health Profile Programme. The screenings will be conducted in three stages. Initially, the programme will be launched in five mandals in each district, followed by another 10 mandals in the second stage. In the final stage, screening will be extended to all remaining mandals. The Minister directed officials to complete the entire screening process within six months.

The second phase of the programme will run from April 1 to April 15 and will focus on early detection of non-communicable diseases. Screening camps will be organised at sub-centres to detect conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. The Minister also directed officials to map chemotherapy services at district day-care cancer centres and make viral infection testing mandatory for dialysis patients.

The third phase, from April 16 to May 15, will concentrate on infection control and strengthening public health preparedness. Officials will intensify efforts to identify tuberculosis cases in line with the National TB Elimination Programme. The Health Department will also conduct public awareness campaigns on seasonal diseases such as sunstroke, dengue, and malaria, while ensuring adequate availability of emergency medicines.

The fourth phase, scheduled from May 16 to June 12, will focus on expanding healthcare services in urban areas. As part of this effort, 145 Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) in GHMC, Cyberabad, and Medchal areas will be upgraded into polyclinics providing specialised medical services. Mobile medical camps will also be organised in slum areas to improve access to healthcare for the urban poor.