All Govt. hospitals in Kothagudem get TIFFA scan, radiologist services

Kothagudem district has strengthened maternal healthcare by appointing radiologists in all agency hospitals and making TIFFA scan services available. The move ensures better monitoring of pregnancies, early detection of abnormalities, and reduces the need for travel to distant medical centres

Kothagudem: The public healthcare sector in Kothagudem district has achieved a significant milestone. The Vaidya Vidhana Parishad hospitals have set a new record by appointing radiologists in all hospitals in agency areas in the district and making advanced scanning services such as Targeted Imaging for Fetal Anomalies (TIFFA) scans available.

The phased measures implemented by district officials, with the objective of providing quality maternal and child healthcare services in remote and tribal areas, are now yielding positive results.

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The appointment of obstetricians in all major hospitals in the past has already led to a significant improvement in maternity services in the agency areas. Consequently, the monthly volume of deliveries, cesarean surgeries, tubectomies, and other maternal care services has witnessed a substantial increase.

Strengthening radiology services, TIFFA scan facilities were already made operational in hospitals at Bhadrachalam, Yellandu, Paloncha and Manuguru due to the efforts launched during the BRS regime. However, a shortage of radiologists in the Aswaraopet and Cherla regions had remained a major challenge.

While TIFFA scanning machines had been procured some time ago, this gap has now been completely bridged with the recent appointment of radiologists to hospitals in Aswaraopet and Cherla.

Although recruiting radiologists in rural and tribal areas is an extremely challenging task, it is noteworthy that this challenge has been successfully overcome, making radiology services available in all six government hospitals across the district.

With the availability of TIFFA scan facilities, pregnant women in rural areas are now able to access a full range of maternal healthcare services within their localities. It helps in closely monitoring the development of the fetus’s organs and in the early detection of any congenital anomalies, informed District Coordinator of Hospital Services (DCHS) Dr Ravi Babu.

This facilitates timely and appropriate medical decision-making for the expectant mother, thereby enhancing the safety of both the mother and the child. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for pregnant women to travel to distant locations, thereby saving both time and money, he added.