The concept of health and wellness centers is being promoted in rural areas of Rajasthan to ensure community engagement and accountability for the delivery of primary health care services amid declining number of active positive cases for COVID-19. A large number of community health workers (CHWs) have been recruited for this purpose.

Wellness centers should provide universal health care and reduce personal expenses for villagers. The state government saw their creation as a step to reduce the burden on frontline health workers, who had struggled during the pandemic due to the shortage of public health professionals.

The Indian University of the Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) based in Jaipur has been selected to provide guidance to trainers who will guide CHOs in the provision of palliative and rehabilitative care and the extension of care. level one for emergencies and trauma, including essential drugs and diagnostic services.

The state government has also assigned health consultants and assistants to rural areas following a recommendation from medical agencies and research institutes. IIHMR University President PR Sodani said here on September 18 that CHOs will help strengthen existing health care facilities in primary and community health centers.

Dr Sodani said the training at the university was aimed at increasing the human resource capacity of health workers and helping the rural population to improve the accessibility and affordability of the welfare delivery system. The Union Ministry of Health’s Ayushman Bharat program has taken a similar approach to delivering a full range of health services, he said.

The first Wellness Resource Center was launched in Jaipur in April in collaboration with Indus Wellness Code Trust (IWCT) in Silicon Valley, USA, with a focus on meeting wellness needs taking into account the individual characteristics of each person. IIHMR University has signed a memorandum of understanding with the IWCT for the establishment of the center.

The Center provides relevant information to visitors and offers evidence-based resources in audio, video and text formats on the multiple dimensions of well-being with an emphasis on a holistic model of health, happiness and well-being. The MoU also sought to influence government policies on wellness and disease prevention.