Tamilnadu CM launches new scheme to deliver medicine at doorstep

Makkalai Thedi  Maruthuvan aka ‘medicine at people’s doorstep’ is the latest newly launched health scheme under the National Health Mission by the Tamil CM MK Stalin. The project was floated by the government in 7 districts of TN  i.e Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Thanjavur, Trichy, Tirunelveli and Chennai. The scheme aims to provide home-based holistic medical, palliative care services to people over 45 yrs and with disabilities. In a bid to strengthen the pubic health infrastructure the scheme is a timely intervention in the health scenario which the government aims to extend across the state by the end of 2021.

Features of the scheme:

1. Medical services like screening &testing for non-communicable diseases- dialysis, kidney, congenital defects, medication for anaemia, hypertension, diabetes, physiotherapy will be provided at their home.
2. Under the scheme, constant monitoring and evaluation of the patient will be carried out by the doctors, nurses, ASHA workers appointed by the state. To ensure the proper functioning of the scheme,  services at PHC, district, corporation, block and HSC level will be monitored by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine & Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services.
3. The scheme aims to eliminate the need for hospital visits by patients for the treatment of non-communicable diseases.
4. The scheme will be implemented in a phased manner across the state.  Hitherto in its first phase more than 1164  women volunteers, 25000 medical teams will be roped in this scheme. The scheme aims to cover  1172 health sub-centres, 189 primary health centres  & 50 community health centres across TN
5. Every registered beneficiary of the scheme will be brought under PHR, which will keep track of the monitoring services and the continuous follow up of patients.
6. 242 crores have been earmarked for this scheme so that 1 crore people from 30 lakh families could avail the benefit of the scheme by year-end.
7. Special focus is given to patients with high blood sugar or BP and also peritoneal dialysis machines and physiotherapy services will be delivered at home.

Through this scheme, the government intends to realise the twin goal of ‘Welfare for All’ and community-based health interventions,  in its effort to strengthen the infrastructure of disease control and provide sustainable health service to people.