Gumla: The state health department felicitated 46 sahiyas, 33 community health officers and and auxiliary nurse midwives for their work at an event held here on Monday.The health functionaries were felicitated for their performance, officials said. The objective of the meet was to recognise the role of these ground-level service providers besides bringing the district to the frontline in execution of the govt health programmes through them.As many as 168 health functionaries attended the event. Eleven ideal couples were felicitated for family planning.A total of 46 Sahiyas, 33 CHOs and 11 ideal couples (for family planning) were felicitated by the guests while 168 such health functionaries attended the conference. State programme coordinator Akai Minj and others lauded the role of sahiyas in providing health services at grassroots level. Minj praised their role in reducing maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) in the state.Gumla Civil Surgeon Dr Shambhu Nath Chowdhury said, “It’s not just a meet. Rather it’s a ceremony of unbreakable faith and service. We talk about highly about hospitals and doctors but in Jharkhand’s health system, the sahiya sisters are its real foundation. Despite facing all odds, you first reach to assist the pregnant women and for immunisation of kids.”Highlighting their role, he said, “On account of your awareness and dedication, MMR and IMR rates have come down with safe institutional delivery at hospitals instead of at home and you have improved the living standard of villagers by making them aware of sanitation, nutrition and prevention of diseases also.”He also praised the role of CHOs through Ayushman Arogya Madir in taking care of rural patients.
