DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF HEALTH SERVICES

ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17

REGIONAL OFFICES OF THE HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

1.                 Introduction

1.1          Concept & Origin:

Regional Co-ordinating Organizations (RCOs) were established in some states in 1958 to co-ordinate between the Centre and the States for National Malaria Eradication Programme (NMEP) activities. Another office, named Regional Health Office (RHO) came into being in 1963 to co-ordinate and supervise the Family Welfare activities. Later on in 1978, when the need for an office of the Government of India in the States to supervise, monitor and co-ordinate the matters of all centrally  sponsored Health and Family Welfare programmes was felt, the RCOs and RHOs were merged to form the Regional Office for Health and Family Welfare (ROH&FW). To supplement the activities of CBHI four Health Information Field Units (HIFUs) were established in 1981 and two more in 1986. As of now, there are 19 Regional Offices of Health & Family Welfare functioning under the Directorate General of Health Services (Dte. GHS) located in the various State Capitals.

Names, telephones numbers and other details of Heads of the ROH&FWs are given in Annexure I.

1.2           Organization Structure

The units of the ROH&FW are:

                                I.            Malaria Operation Field Research Scheme (MOFRS)

                              II.            Entomological section

                            III.            Malaria section

                            IV.            Health Information Field Unit (HIFU) and

                              V.            Regional Evaluation Team (RET).

However, all the units may not be present in each of ROHF&W as regional importance and other technical requirements have been kept in mind while locating units with ROHF&Ws, seen in the Table 1, showing the distribution of ROH&FWs and their sub-units.  The organizational structure of the ROH&FWs is not uniform, some of them have good staff strength, and others have only nominal staff. In view of this, the work carried out by each of the unit is not uniform. The distribution ROH&FW in field is as follows:

• 12 ROHF&Ws support Family Welfare Programme.
• 01 ROHF&W is established at RLTRI Raipur to look after the state of Chhattisgarh.
• 06 ROHF&Ws are supported by NVBDCP.
• 02 ROHF&Ws of Guwahati and Raipur are newly created and are seeking support from ROHF&W of Shillong and Bhopal respectively.
• 06 ROHF&Ws have Health Information Field Units (HIFUs).
• 06 ROHF&Ws have Regional Evaluation Teams (RETs).
• 12 Malaria Operation Field Research Scheme (MOFRS) units are located in different ROHF&Ws.
• All the States and UTs are covered by the ROH&FW.

2.              Roles and Functions:

These offices have been established with the primary objective of ensuring proper liaison and coordination between the Centre and State Governments in the context of the implementation of National Health and Family Welfare Programmes. Main functions of the Regional Offices are as follows:

2.1          Centre-state coordination

2.2          Monitoring and evaluation of implementation of various National Health and Family Welfare Programmes by the States/UTs.

2.2          Training and IEC

2.3          Qualitative evaluation by Regional Evaluation Team (RET)

2.4          Strengthening and monitoring of Health Information System by Health Information Field Unit (HIFU)

2.5          Monitoring and Supervision through Malaria Operational Field Research Scheme (MOFRS)

2.6          Monitoring and Supervision of Centrally sponsored schemes

3.       Technical Activities undertaken : The details of the technical activities of the ROH&FW undertaken are given below:

3.1.Liaison & Coordination

Regional offices are to keep a close liaison with state and national programme officers through regular meeting with programme officers. All Regional Directors undertake liaison and coordination activities between the states and national programme officers. Consolidated number of liaison activities undertaken by the ROH&FW are as below in table 4.

Table 1: Liaison and coordination activities:

*The number is aggregate of court cases handled every month and so doesn’t reflect total number of cases

4    

4.1    

3.2    Training activities

NVBDCP and CBHI related trainings are being organized by the ROH&FW. These are need based training programmes organized on demand from the states. ROH&FW are conducting training in malaria microscopy under NVBDCP and training on ICD-10 and HIS under CBHI. Consolidated number of batches of NVBDCP and CBHI related trainings organized and trainees are given in table 2.

Table 2: Training programme organized

3.3          Research studies undertaken

Research studies are undertaken by the specialized units created in selected ROH&FW. These specialized units are Malaria Operation Falciparum Research Scheme (MOFRS) that undertake therapeutic efficacy studies on the directions of the NVBDCP, Regional Evaluation Teams (RETs) that undertake evaluation studies on eligible couples on the directions of the H&FW programme, and Health Information Field Units (HIFUs) undertake research project on HIS on the directions of the CBHI. The consolidated number of research studies undertaken are as below in table 3.

Table 3: Research studies undertaken

3.4 Monitoring Peripheral Institutions for IPHS

Regional offices are responsible for supervision and monitoring of the centrally sponsored schemes and the functioning of the peripheral institutes. However, during 2010-11 in a review meeting of the RDs at Srinagar, it was decided that ROH&FW should also undertake assessment of the IPHS in the peripheral institutes. DGHS issued instructions that each ROH&FW should undertake assessment of the IPHS in at least one District Hospital, one CHC, one PHC and one SHC. All the ROH&FW have completed the assessment of IPHS in the given peripheral institutes. ROH&FW are regularly visiting the peripheral institutes for monitoring and supervision. The consolidated number of institutes visited are as below in table 4.

Table 4: Monitoring of Peripheral Institutes for IPHS

3.5          Review of the National Health Programmes

Traditionally, the ROH&FW are responsible for review of the NVBDCP and the H&FW programmes from their very inception. Now the Regional Offices of H&FW has been asked to undertake the review of the all the National Health Programmes being implemented in the states. ROH&FWs are also reviewing the progress in the implementation of the newer initiatives of the MOH&FW. The consolidated numbers of National Health Programmes reviewed are given as under (table 5).

Table 5: Districts visited for review of the major National Health Programmes

3.6          Activities of the NVBDCP under MOFRS  

An important task undertaken by ROH&FWs under NVBDCP is cross-checking of blood slides and undertaking therapeutic efficacy studies. They also provide their expert opinion on complicated cases of the malaria. The activities undertaken by ROH&FWs under NVBDCP are given below in table 6.

Table 6: Activities under NVBDCP

3.7          REGIONAL EVALUATION TEAMS - FIELD VERIFICATION

Regional evaluation teams are the specialized component of the ROH&FW. These units undertake evaluation studies on the genuineness of the clients practicing contraceptive methods under H&FW programme. In addition they also field verify the work carried out by the Health workers, children for fully immunization, mothers covered under RCH programme. The teams also conduct satisfaction of work by ANM & ASHA with mothers and PRI. The consolidated numbers of clients field verified are given as below in table 7.

Table 7: Total consolidated performance of the Regional Evaluation Teams

4.       Annual Action Plan 2016-17 for ROHFWs:

4.1 Routine activities:

 4.2 Budget allocation & Utilization: (Amount in lakh of INR)                      

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