Mission Green Commando: IAS Jayati Singh taking healthcare to Barwani’s remote tribal households

Health teams in Madhya Pradesh’s Barwani district are trekking four to five kilometres in some areas to reach tribal households. Through an initiative called ‘Mission Green Commando’, the district administration is taking healthcare to the last mile by reaching to families in remote areas who may not have access to regular health check-ups and services or may have been missed by routine health drives.

Leading this is Barwani Collector Jayati Singh, a 2016 batch IAS Officer. Barwani is a tribal district located in the Satpura hills, where some villages and settlements are difficult to reach because of hills, rivers and long distances.

The Green Commando drive is conducted every three months with around 100 teams and nearly 100 district officers are involved. Vehicles and staff from different parts of the district are pooled for the exercise, while teams are provided training and logistical support before being sent to the field. “They have to trek at times for kilometres, five kilometres, four kilometres, to reach the last household which is at some hilltop” Singh shared.

A major focus of the drive is maternal and child health. Teams identify pregnant women so that they can be connected with the health system and institutional deliveries can be ensured. They also identify children who may have been left out of regular vaccination drives.Additionally these visits sometimes also bring other health problems to notice “Overall, the delivery of health services to the population is being ensured.”

Another health concern in Barwani being worked on is sickle cell anemia, which is prevalent in the region. The administration is carrying out screening and providing required medicines and treatment support to people identified with the condition.

Mission Green Commando is a unique healthcare delivery model which shows how teamwork and existing district resources can help to reach people who may otherwise be left out of regular health services.