Nashik: The district administration has stressed on the need to recruit doctors at all 592 health sub-centres that are now dubbed as ‘Health Wellness Centres’ under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme launched by the Government of India.“There are 592 sub-centres of which the wellness centres have been formed at 60 sub-centres. We had appointed 60 doctors at each of these centres, but now are left with only 18 of them. The district administration has asked the district health office (DHO) to carry out the appointment at the earliest to ensure facilities for the people in rural areas,” a senior official from the district administration said.The Ayushman Bharat scheme announced by the central government promises medical treatment below Rs5 lakh absolutely free for the families who have been included in the socio-economic caste census data on the basis of their social and economic status. The issue came up for discussion during a recently held meeting.The primary aim of the scheme is to provide all-help required by the people in treating their ailments and stress is also laid on early identification and diagnosis for better treatment of the patients.“For this all the primary health centres (112 Nos) and sub-centres (592 Nos) will the converted in the Wellness Centres. While the PHCs already have a doctor, the sub-centres were regularly monitored by the auxiliary nurse midwife and multi-purpose worker (MPW). In addition to them, a doctor will also be appointed. The process, however, is taking some time,” Vijay Dekate, district health officer, said.About 60 BAMS doctors were appointed on contractual basis across 60 sub-centres turned wellness centres of which only 18 are remaining while others have already left the job.“Considering the gigantic task of reaching out to 3.41 lakh people in rural areas we need a strong team of doctors who will carry out the basic work of screening and identifying the three patients suffering from hypertension, diabetes and cancer and they will be performing their duties only at wellness centres. This is a shot in the arm for the state as it would be able to provide and monitor better first-aid and medical treatment to the last man,” the official said.He added that the process of the appointment of doctors for the centres had been started with immediate effect. “We are sure we will have good numbers of employees working in the fields in very short span of time,” he said.“As of now 23,490 people were screened for ailments like hypertension, diabetes, oral cancer and breast cancer and epidemics,” he added.

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