[caption id="attachment_188288" align="alignnone" width="550"]
Dr. Sanjitban Ghost examining a child during the screening at Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital on June 9.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, June 9 (EMN): For the first time in Nagaland, the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) under the National Health Mission, Nagaland and Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI), Imphal jointly conducted a free heart screening at Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital (IMDH) on June 9.
Interacting with doctors at the camp, Nodal Officer Dr. Khriesi said the RBSK is a child health screening and early intervention service programme to provide comprehensive care to all the children between age group of 0-18 years. The objective of the programme is to improve quality of life of children through early detection of birth defects diseases, deficiencies, developmental delays and disabilities, he said.
Medical officials informed that all the children (0-18 years) diagnosed with such diseases will receive follow-up referral supports and treatment including surgical intervention as per the RBSK model costing.
Doctors also informed that the congenital heart disease has a prevalence rate of 8/100 live birth which means Nagaland is expected to have about 250 cases; hence, to improve the child survival, screening has been conducted along with SHRI Imphal.
Dr. Khriesi said the programme is based on screening and detection of congenital heart disease present since birth for 0-18 years and above.
The screening was conducted by paediatric cardiology / structural heart specialist, Dr. Sanjitban Ghost from SHRI along with his team and assistance from medical specialists from IMDH.
Out of 201 registered patients for the screening, five cases were detected. One patient needs surgery and other four were referred for further treatment.
State nodal officer said that detected patients will be referred to SHRI, Imphal and will receive free treatment under RBSK model costing.
