Directs Regular Monitoring of High-Risk Pregnancies; Reviews HPV Vaccination, Breast Cancer Treatment and Chirayu Scheme Progress
Published on: July 17, 2026
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
Rajnandgaon Collector Jitendra Yadav has directed health officials to work with commitment and accountability to further reduce maternal and infant mortality in the district, emphasising that negligence in healthcare services will not be tolerated.
Chairing a meeting of the District Health Society at the Collectorate on Friday, the Collector reviewed the implementation of various health programmes and instructed officials to strengthen healthcare delivery through proactive monitoring and timely intervention.
Focus on High-Risk Pregnancies and Maternal Health
The Collector stressed that every effort should be made to prevent maternal and neonatal deaths in the district.
He directed health officials to ensure the timely identification, mandatory screening, regular health check-ups and continuous monitoring of high-risk pregnant women. He also instructed that pregnant women receive timely sonography, essential medicines and other healthcare services.
Officials were asked to monitor the health of high-risk pregnancies on a daily basis through mobile communication and ensure that patients are shifted to hospitals without delay whenever required.
According to the district administration, the ongoing campaign has shown encouraging results. Maternal deaths have declined from five during the corresponding period last year to two this year, while infant deaths have reduced from 53 to 44.
HPV Vaccination Drive to Be Accelerated
Reviewing the HPV vaccination campaign, the Collector directed officials to speed up immunisation efforts.
He said 4,887 adolescent girls have been vaccinated against HPV in the district so far. Officials were instructed to coordinate with the School Education Department, prepare school-wise rosters and achieve the vaccination target within the current month.
Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Free Treatment
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The Collector also reviewed the district’s breast cancer screening programme.
Following 1,826 breast cancer screenings, symptoms were identified in 16 patients, who were immediately referred for treatment. All identified patients are currently receiving free treatment at Balco Cancer Hospital, while health officials are maintaining regular follow-up with their families to monitor progress.
Successful Heart Surgeries Under Chirayu Scheme
Reviewing the Chirayu Scheme, the Collector directed officials to continue regular follow-up of children identified under the programme to ensure timely medical care.
A total of 48 children have been identified under the scheme. Of these, 15 children have successfully undergone free heart surgeries, while the remaining 33 children are under continuous follow-up by the Chirayu team.
Transparent Recruitment and Enhanced Disease Screening
The Collector reviewed the recruitment process under the National Health Mission (NHM) and directed officials to complete the contractual recruitment process transparently within one month to strengthen healthcare manpower.
He also instructed the Health Department to intensify tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy screening, emphasising early detection and timely treatment to improve disease control.
In addition, he directed all government healthcare facilities to prioritise cleanliness and hygiene to ensure quality healthcare services for patients.
The meeting was attended by District Panchayat CEO Durga Prasad Adhikari, Joint Collector Sheetal Bansal, Joint Director of Government Medical College Dr. Atul Deshkar, Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Netaram Navratan, Civil Surgeon Dr. Mahendra Prasad, along with Block Medical Officers, Block Programme Managers and Health Department officials.
