PHCs to be linked via computers

In a major tone up exercise aimed at boosting the health-planning scheme, the Health Department has decided to connect all the primary health centers via a computer network.

This will help health workers of rural areas to achieve greater efficiency in implementation of ambitious health schemes. The primary health centers will be monitored from Bhopal-based health headquarters once the computerization process is over.

Highly placed sources say that the basic idea behind the computerization work was to give a fillip to several health and family welfare schemes being launched and at achieving cent percent success in their implementation and monitoring aspects. What the department strongly believes in is the fact that computerization will prove handy in effective implementation and outcome of family planning schemes in rural pockets of Madhya Pradesh. As per plan, the health workers will be asked to report at the nearest primary health centers about the progress in population stabilization indicators.

The information at primary health centers will be stored in computers, which will be networked with the District Health Officer's computer. The command of district-level computer network will be under the Bhopal-based Health Department. The Department hopes to maintain strict vigil over health workers whose performance so far has not been commendable.

Sources add that the Health Department was seriously contemplating the launch of its own website, which would contain details about all government health schemes and their progress.