A bubbly girl and her poverty-stricken parents of Udaipur in Tripura were oblivious to the fact that the girl was suffering from congenital heart disease. Thanks to a 3-member Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) team of Gomati District Hospital in identifying her potentially dangerous health condition and saving her life in coordination with the concerned State authority. Cheerful Tania has got a new life – a healthy life.
The team comprising Medical Officer – RBSK Dr Puja Debnath, Medical Officer – RBSK Dr Arunabha Debnath and Pharmacist Prasenjit Nama went to Gokulpur under Udaipur in Tripura and held a health screening of children at the Anganwadi Centre there. During the screening, the team members felt that she might have heart-related issues. The team members, without any delay, communicated with the State authority and referred her to the IGM for an ECHO test free of cost. Her congenital heart disease was diagnosed at the IGM Hospital.
“We accompanied her to the IGM Hospital in Agartala where an ECHO test was done. And our worst fear proved true – she was suffering from congenital heart disease”, Dr Puja Debnath said.
After detection, with the initiatives of the state authorities and RBSK team members of the Gomati Hospital, Tania was sent to Manipal Hospital in Bangalore on June 22 last. The child underwent successful heart surgery on June 24 last and was discharged on June 28 last. The whole procedure was done free of cost.
“The RSBK team of Gomati District saved the life of my little daughter. After knowing about her health condition we were helplessly worried – we do not have so much money for such costly treatment. All credits go to the RBSK team of Gomati District. We are grateful to them”, Parimal Das Baishnab, the father of the girl said.
About RBSK : The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, under the National Health Mission launched the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), an innovative and ambitious initiative, which envisages Child Health Screening and Early Intervention Services, a systemic approach of early identification and link to care, support and treatment.
Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) is one of its kind program to improve the overall quality of life of children enabling all children to achieve their full potential, and also providing comprehensive care to all the children in the community. This program involves screening of children from birth to 18 years of age for 4 Ds- Defects at birth, Diseases, Deficiencies and Development delays, spanning 32 common health conditions for early detection and free treatment and management, including surgeries at the tertiary level. Children diagnosed with identified selected health conditions are provided early intervention services and follow-up care at the district level. These services are provided free of cost, thus helping their families reduce the out-of-pocket expenditure incurred on the treatment.
To facilitate the screening of children, there is a strong convergence with the Ministry of Women and Child Development for screening children in the age group 0 – 6 years enrolled at Anganwadi centres and with the Ministry of Human Resource Development for screening the children enrolled in Government and Government aided schools. The newborn is screened for birth defects in health facilities by the doctors at health facilities and during the home visit by ASHA (peripheral health worker).
The task is gigantic but quite possible, through the systematic approach that RBSK envisages. It would yield rich dividends in protecting and promoting the health of our children when implemented in right earnest. (Source: https://rbsk.gov.in/RBSKLive/ )
