Nagpur: On World Tribal Day (August 9), Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) launched project BLOSSOM in Nagpur in the presence of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. The function was held at Hotel Centre Point in Nagpur.
As part of this project, the health university along with state tribal directorate, Gondwana University in Gadchiroli, and Laxmanrao Mankar Memorial Trust, will conduct health screening of over 11,000 people living in select 18 tribal villages of Nagpur, Gondia, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts.
BLOSSOM stands for: Breast cancer, liver and lifestyle diseases, sickle cell, sexually transmitted infections, osteoporosis, and malnutrition — population will be screened for these diseases
Lieutenant General Dr Madhuri Kanitkar (Retd)PVSM AVSM VSM, Vice-Chancellor of MUHS,Dr Sanjeev Chaudhary, Regional Coordinator of MUHS; Ravindra Thakare, Additional Commissioner of Tribal Development; Dr Prakash Bokare, Vice Chancellor of Gondwana University; Arun Lakhani, President of Mankar Trust; Sudhir Diwe, Trustee, Mankar Trust and Dr Ajit Saoji, Principal Investigator of the project were seated on the dais.
Appreciating the project BLOSSOM, Gadkari appealed that MUHS should become a centre of development for deprived and needy people. Gadkari admired Dr Anuradha Shrikhande and Dr Dipty Jain for their contribution in the field of Sickle cell. Dr Kanitkar said, “It is a very unique programme and we will be able to explain its importance to the world. The project involves multi-disciplinary, multi-modal research on tribal health which is very important.
MUHS claimed the project will be the biggest tribal health surveillance exercise by any health university in the country. This screening will go beyond a general check-up and will identify persons with breast cancer, liver and lifestyle diseases, sickle cell disease, sexually transmitted infections, osteoporosis and malnutrition (hence the acronym BLOSSOM). In the second phase, the data collected will be analysed, and plans will be made to ensure better health care for the tribals.
Gadkari, while launching this project, said benefits of quality health care must reach the last person in the society. “This is not an easy task to reach the tribal people. Road connectivity is still a major barrier. Building roads in tribal areas is a task. We have to face many obstacles from forest and environment fronts,” he said. He hoped this unique initiative by MUHS will be a valuable documentation of tribal health in Vidarbha and will help in finalizing the health strategies for these areas in future.
Dr Prashant Bokare briefed about the projects of Gondwana University. Dr Milind Nikumbh, Pro-Vice Chancellor of MUHS; Dr Shriram Kawde, Pro Vice Chancellor of Gondwana University, Dr Anil Hirekhan, Registrar of Gondwana University, Dr Sudhir Gupta, Dean, Government Medical College and Hospital; Dr Ashok Nitnavre, Dean, Chandrapur GMCH; Dr Abhay Datarkar, Dean, Government Dental College and Hospital; Dr Usha Radke, Dean, VSPM Dental College; Dr R S Shenoi, Vice Dean; Dr PM Padole, Director of VNIT, Dr Jazer Rasool, Dean, Swargiya Dadasaheb Kalmegh Dental College; Dr R S Sathawne, Professor, Dr Sameer Golawar, Senate Member of MUHS, Dr Dharmesh Dhawankar, Professor, Department of Mass Communication, RTMNU, and others were present.
Shubhada Fadnavis and Kishor Galande compered the programme while Swapnil Torne, Public Relations Officer of MUHS proposed a vote of thanks.
