Pune: The Maharashtra government has launched a statewide health screening campaign under the National Child Health Program (RBSK) to assess the health of over 1.5 crore children aged 0 to 18 years. The initiative aims to detect and address various health concerns, including anemia, eye diseases, dental issues, heart conditions, tuberculosis, and congenital disabilities in newborns.
The inaugural event was held today at Indira Gandhi Model School in Aundh, Pune, officiated by Deputy Chief Minister and Pune Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar.
The campaign, implemented under the guidance of State Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakash Abitkar, will be carried out across Maharashtra through 1,200 RBSK medical teams.
These teams will facilitate early diagnosis and treatment, with eligible children receiving free medical intervention, including surgeries, through government and empaneled hospitals under RBSK and the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY).
Contradictions Surface as RBSK Doctors Face Salary Delays
While the health department has allocated significant funds to ensure the success of the campaign, concerns have emerged over delayed salary payments for the RBSK medical teams. According to reports, doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff working under the program have not received their salaries for the past two months.
Despite this, the department has reportedly spent ₹60 to ₹70 lakh on the event management contract for the Aundh launch program alone. Additionally, funds have been earmarked for district- and taluka-level inaugural events, with ₹3,000 per taluka and ₹15,000 per district allocated for their execution.
NHM Committee Demands Urgent Resolution
Expressing their concerns, the National Health Mission (NHM) Officers and Employees Committee has submitted a memorandum to NHM Managing Director Amgothu Sriranga Nayak, highlighting that salary disbursements have been delayed for the past four months.
"RBSK doctors across Maharashtra have not received their salaries for two months. Despite repeated follow-ups, payments have been consistently delayed. We have urged the authorities to resolve this issue at the earliest," said Harshal Ranavare, Committee Head, NHM Officers and Employees Committee.