Officials during thereview meeting held at the Kohima Deputy Commissioner's office in Kohima on September 9. (DIPR Photo)
Kohima, September 9 (MExN): The District Task Force for Immunization (DTFI) and the District Level TB Mukt Bharat Committee convened a joint review meeting here on Wednesday to assess immunization, child healthcare, HIV/AIDS interventions, and tuberculosis control programmes across Kohima district.
According to a DIPR update, the meeting, held at the Kohima Deputy Commissioner's office, was chaired by Deputy Commissioner B Henok Buchem.
Reviewing the immunisation drive, District Programme Officer (RMNCAH+N) Dr Khrievilhou Nakhro acknowledged the role of school teachers, administrative staff, and Anganwadi workers in facilitating vaccinations. He stated that school-level awareness campaigns are being conducted routinely, with vaccinations administered only after securing formal consent from parents and educators.
The task force also explored synergies with the National Cadet Corps (NCC), which has sought departmental assistance to conduct immunisation drives during cadet camps.
Deliberating on the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK)—including its manpower requirements, operational framework, and tertiary healthcare referral patterns—the Deputy Commissioner instructed the RBSK team to liaise directly with the District Education Officer (DEO) of Kohima to streamline health screenings across designated schools.
During the clinical mortality review, Dr Avonu Sophie presented detailed clinical audits of two child fatalities—one linked to congenital heart disease and the other to septicaemia resulting in septic shock—to evaluate pre-existing morbidities and medical factors.
Providing an operational update on Project DISHA under the Intensified IEC Campaign 2026, Sentimongla Tsudir announced that 21 villages have been marked for house-to-house outreach and town-hall meetings, alongside 70 educational institutions shortlisted across Kohima for targeted HIV/AIDS sensitisation.
In the subsequent District Level TB Mukt Bharat Committee proceedings, District TB Officer Dr Chibenthung Kithan outlined the revised operational parameters framed during the Pragati national review. To bolster grassroots administrative coordination, Block Development Officers (BDOs) have been designated as nodal coordinators within their respective blocks.
Dr Kithan proposed raising volunteer cohorts by mobilising youth from NCC and the MY Bharat platform, prompting board members to recommend technical orientation, formal certifications, and clear functional protocols for all inducted volunteers.
Addressing financial and welfare mechanisms, the committee evaluated opening a joint bank account under the TB Mukt Bharat initiative, which will function with the Deputy Commissioner’s administrative sanction. DC Buchem recommended integrating and publicising a dedicated QR code for the account to simplify public and corporate contributions.
Dr Kithan disclosed that Kohima district currently has 342 active registered TB patients, of whom approximately 100 have been matched with community donors under the patient adoption framework.
He added that while the Union government has deployed AI-enabled portable X-ray equipment to bolster early detection in remote zones, an ongoing shortfall of certified radiographers and technicians has hindered full operational deployment of the diagnostic hardware.
