The Community Health Officers Conference for western states is set to commence in Nashik

The second Regional Community Health Officers (CHO) Conference, organised for Western Zone states, is scheduled to take place in Nashik, Maharashtra, between October 6th and 7th, 2023. The conference will be inaugurated by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, S. P. Singh Baghel. Participating states and union territories include Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu. The event will see the participation of 200 CHOs, including 40 CHOs from AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres, building on the success of the first regional CHO conference held in Varanasi in December 2022.

India’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage is exemplified through the establishment of Health and Wellness Centres as a platform for delivering comprehensive primary healthcare closer to people’s homes across the country. Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres are envisioned to be the foundation of India’s primary healthcare system, with over 1.61 lakh HWCs currently operational.

Community Health Officers (CHOs) play a pivotal role in Sub Health Centre-Health and Wellness Centres, undertaking crucial clinical, managerial, and public health functions in coordination with multipurpose workers and ASHAs. To date, over 1.30 lakh CHOs have been deployed at SHC-HWCs nationwide.

The conference will revolve around four key themes:

1. Clinical & Public Health Functions: Rollout of comprehensive primary healthcare services, organization of wellness activities, and annual health calendar days.
2. Managerial Functions: Management of HWC team members, periodic reviews, supportive supervision, and administrative functions.
3. Community Connect & AYUSH Integration: Coordination with Jan Arogya Samiti, VHSNCs, convergence with other departments, and integration of AYUSH.
4. IT Initiatives: Telemedicine through e-Sanjeevani, continuum of care, Tele-Manas ABHA-ID.

The Principal Secretary (Health) of the Government of Maharashtra, Shri N. Nawin Sona, Commissioner Health Services & MD NHM Shri Dheeraj Kumar, and other senior officials from MoHFW, Ministry of AYUSH, National Health Systems Resource Centre will also be in attendance. The workshop will span one and a half days, featuring field visits to sub-health centres to understand the delivery mechanism of comprehensive primary healthcare and continuum of care. On the second day, CHOs from Western Zone states will make presentations on the four themes, with contributions from eminent experts on comprehensive primary healthcare.