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Chhattisgarh News: Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal stated that the state government is continuously working to ensure access to quality health services in remote and vulnerable areas. He stated that the Chief Minister’s Swasth Bastar Campaign, particularly in the Bastar region, has yielded positive results, providing access to health services to millions of people and enabling timely identification and treatment of serious illnesses.

At a press conference in Raipur, Health Minister Shri Jaiswal stated that under the Chief Minister’s Swasth Bastar Campaign, health checkups were conducted for over 34.29 lakh citizens, representing approximately 99 percent of the targeted population. During the campaign, serious illnesses, including malaria, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, leprosy, oral cancer, and others, were identified and timely treatment was initiated. Over 60,000 serious patients were referred to higher health institutions, and 10,938 high-risk pregnant women were provided with special monitoring and treatment.

He stated that the Health Department is working with utmost vigilance following the recent emergence of a few malaria cases. State health workers, Mitanins, ANMs, and field staff are reaching out to villages to conduct screening, treatment, surveys, and public awareness activities. The department is continuously making efforts to control and eradicate malaria. The Health Minister stated that our goal is to ensure zero deaths from malaria. To achieve this, special emphasis is being placed on timely screening, prompt treatment, continuous monitoring, and community awareness.

He stated that as a result of strategic action planning, continuous monitoring, and public participation, the malaria positivity rate in Bastar division has decreased from 4.60 percent to 0.48 percent. The state’s Annual Parasite Index (API) has also decreased from 5.21 to 0.90. This achievement reflects the Health Department’s continued efforts towards malaria control.

Providing information on maternal and child health services, the Health Minister stated that over 11.89 lakh institutional deliveries have taken place in the state in the last two and a half years. Through the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, regular specialist checkups for pregnant women, identification of high-risk pregnancies, and necessary treatment are being ensured.

To further strengthen emergency health services, 375 new 108 Sanjeevani Express ambulances have been operationalized in the state. Between January 2024 and June 2026, timely emergency health services were provided to more than 6.50 lakh citizens, ensuring prompt medical assistance in accidents, obstetrics, and other emergencies.

The Health Minister informed that to ensure access to quality diagnostic services, modern pathology diagnostic services are being provided in 1,051 health institutions across the state in collaboration with HLL Lifecare Limited. Through a hub-and-spoke model, an IT-based reporting system, and a quality monitoring system, citizens in remote areas are also receiving reliable and timely diagnostic services.

He informed that along with the expansion of health services, special attention is also being paid to developing trained human resources. In this regard, paramedical courses will be introduced in all 10 medical colleges in the state. This will provide the necessary technical and paramedical human resources to health institutions, and the youth of the state will gain new opportunities for employment-oriented education and training in the health sector.

During the press conference, the Health Minister also took a strict stance on food safety, directing an effective ban on the use and sale of analog cheese in the state. He stated that providing safe and quality food to the general public is the government’s priority, and that violations of food safety standards will be prosecuted as per the rules.