India's first household health screening survey begins in Bengaluru

The BBMP’s door-to-door survey and health check-up to determine the general health of residents kicked off on Monday.

While the survey will largely focus on assessing the spread of Covid-19 and tracing new infections, it’s also expected to create a ready database of citizens’ health parameters.

“Not everyone in the city can afford to go to hospitals. Be it slum dwellers or construction workers, our doctors will reach everyone. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country and will help build confidence in the public,” said Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who flagged off the survey.

Also Read | Karnataka far from natural immunity against Covid-19: Sero-survey

To begin with, the programme will be held in 54 wards, with two wards being picked from every assembly segment. Each ward will have five teams consisting of doctors and paramedics to conduct the survey. In the first phase, the surveyors will focus on wards that have a high load of active Covid cases. Another criterion for choosing the wards was on-ground feasibility, said BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Randeep D.

Paperless format

The survey will be conducted in a paperless format, and each team has been provided with a tablet to upload the data to a custom-made app. Respondents will be asked detailed questions about their Covid vaccination status and co-morbidities, if any, a senior BBMP official said.

Besides deploying some of the existing medical and paramedical staff for the survey, the BBMP has also hired staff on contract for the exercise. As for the cost, a senior BBMP official said they didn’t have the exact estimate.

“We hope a part of the survey could be funded from the state government’s Covid grants,” a senior BBMP official told DH.

Every team has been given the target of covering at least 50 houses a day, and the civic body aims to reach all the households within the next month.