Meera Srivastava, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, visited Tripura on a three-day official tour beginning July 1.
The visit focused on reviewing public health services, the implementation of national health programmes, and the progress of ongoing healthcare projects across districts.
During her visit to Unakoti district, Srivastava met District Magistrate Megha Jain and the Chief Health Officer at the Circuit House in Kailashahar. She later visited the Latiyapur Sub-Centre and Deorachhara Sub-Centre, where she reviewed maternal and child health services, immunisation coverage, and the implementation of the National Health Mission at the field level.
She interacted with health workers and ASHA workers, assessing service delivery at the grassroots level and issuing directions to improve the efficiency, accessibility, and quality of public healthcare services. The Joint Secretary was accompanied by senior officials, including representatives from the National Health Mission (NHM), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) division, and the World Health Organization (WHO) state office.
On July 2, the delegation visited South Tripura district, where a high-level review meeting was held with the District Magistrate of Belonia, the Chief Health Officer, and other health officials. Discussions focused on the current status of health services, vaccination coverage, malaria control, and the implementation of various national health programmes.
Following the meeting, the delegation inspected the Bashkadua Ayushman Arogya Mandir under Matai Primary Health Centre in Amjadnagar Gram Panchayat. They also interacted with health and ASHA workers and reviewed immunisation and other frontline health services. The team further visited the India–Bangladesh border area to assess healthcare delivery in remote and border regions, and later inspected services and infrastructure at the Belonia Sub-Divisional Hospital.
The same day, the delegation also visited Sepahijala district, where they reviewed ongoing health programmes and service delivery systems. Officials from the district health administration, including the Chief Health Officer, District Family Welfare Officer, and medical officers from Sonamura Sub-Divisional Hospital and Kathalia Community Health Centre, participated in the review.
At Bashpukur Sub-Centre, the delegation interacted with frontline health workers and ASHA workers and reviewed vaccination progress and other public health initiatives. Srivastava appreciated the dedication of district health officials and field-level workers.
The visit concluded with directions aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery systems, improving the effectiveness of national health programmes, and ensuring better access to quality healthcare services for the public. The visit was informed by officials of the National Health Mission.
