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

Telangana to launch health profiles for 46 lakh SHG women, starting March 8, with comprehensive medical screenings and support services.

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.