Stating that Community Health Officers are playing an important role in bringing key healthcare reforms, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar today said that free and easy access to promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative healthcare services will go a long way in ensuring the country's progress and prosperity.
 
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the second regional Community Health Officers – CHO Conference in Nashik this morning, Ms. Pawar urged the CHOs and health care workers to add impetus to the government's missions like eradication of tuberculosis by 2025 and sickle cell disease by 2047.
 
Stating that the country is moving towards realizing the commitment of ‘Universal Health Coverage’, Ms. Pawar equity, accessibility, and affordability of healthcare services is essential. The minister informed that out-of-pocket expenses in overall healthcare expenditure have dipped from 62 percent in 2014-15 to 47 percent in 2019-20.
 
Speaking about the deliberations of the earlier CHO Conference held at Varanasi, Ms. Pawar said CHOs can register and use all the necessary reading material and presentation on the Shashakt and NHSRC portal.
 
The two-day conference for western India states and UTs such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu, will deliberate on issues like Clinical & public health functions, Community connect & AYUSH integration.