Dimapur, July 3 (EMN): A ‘public dialogue’ or ‘Jan Samwad’ was conducted in the town hall of Jalukie in Peren district on July 2 by the district’s health establishment.
According to a press release from the Peren district health division, the program was held under the aegis of the Peren chief medical officer’s establishment.
A medical officer, Dr. Dennis Hangsing, was stated to have explained at the event that the Community Action for Health was a mechanism to improve accountability and enable better delivery of services. It envisages building community knowledge on health entitlements, and initiating corrective action and planning with community engagement, the press release stated.
Further, it provides a platform for community feedback and dialogue with service providers for redress, the gathering was told. It leads to improved coverage and accessibility of health services, the updates stated.
Further, the press release stated that the medical officer gave an overview of the Jan Samwad explaining that it presents an opportunity for dialogue between the community and service providers. For instance, cases of denial of services are addressed with the community and service providers resolving issues together, the updates explained.
Matters concerning denial of care and cases of adverse outcomes were put across by the participants especially by the village councils and accredited social health activists. The issues and queries were ‘resolved,’ the updates stated.
An action plan for issues that need to be resolved will be addressed in the next Jan Samwad, the organisers stated.
Saurabh Raj, program manager of the advisory group for Community Action for Health at New Delhi, suggested mobilising more participants for the next Jam Samwad. He stated that in providing health services to the public, the community should not suffer because of lack of infrastructure or consumables, the press release stated. He said that the department needs to work ‘backwards’ to address such issues, the updates added.