594 mid-level healthcare providers under training to work at Health and Wellness Centres

The announcement of health and wellness centres (HWCs) was as popular as India's Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme.

The range of services provided by existing sub centres and primary health centres that previously provided maternal and child health services have been expanded to screen non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, oral cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer. However, additional human resource is required for the same as the state suffers a shortage of doctors at all levels.

In Karnataka, 1,904 HWCs are operational, out of which 871 are sub centres, 697 are primary health centres and 336 are urban primary health centres. The state intends to upgrade 9,000 existing sub centres into health and wellness centres. A new cadre of community health officers or mid-level healthcare providers (MLHP) trained in a six-month course of community health will be posted at sub centres.

About 1,464 MLHPs have already been trained, while 594 are undergoing training. BSc Nursing graduates are being selected as MLHPs, one for every sub centre through the National Health Mission and deputed for six months. The union government is also strengthening programme study centres under IGNOU in Karnataka from existing 13 programme study centres to centres for training of MLHPs.

Integration of bridge programme in Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences curriculum has already been done and trained BSc Nursing graduates will be available for MLHP selection from December 2020 onwards.

"So far, the HWCs in Karnataka have seen a total footfall of more than 59 lakh, 87,000 have been screened for hypertension, 95,000 for diabetes, more than two lakh for oral cancer, 36,000 for breast cancer, over 12,000 for cervical cancer and more than 40,000 yoga sessions have been conducted, " said, Vikas Sheel, Joint Secretary (Policy), who looks after health and wellness centres in the union health ministry.

Preventive healthcare through wellness activities is an important feature of HWCs and more focus is being given to lifestyle changes for creating behavioural changes in the communities. Regular sessions of Yoga at HWCs have attracted general public. Monthly, 10 yoga sessions is planned at these centres and Rs. 250 is paid to yoga instructors per session or Rs. 2,500 per month, as per their convenience.

Other physical activities like Zumba is being encouraged. The funding pattern for HWCs under the National Health Mission is 60:40 between the Centre and the State.