Rural push to boost healthcare access in Greater Noida

A new rural health outreach in Gautam Budh Nagar will provide cancer screening, maternal care, and HPV vaccinations via mobile units and camps.

GREATER NOIDA: Cancer screening, maternal care support and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination will form the core of a new rural health outreach programme in Gautam Budh Nagar, with services set to be delivered through mobile medical units and targeted camps, officials said on Thursday.

The initiative will focus on early detection and preventive care in villages, where access to specialised services remains limited. (Representative photo)

The initiative will focus on early detection and preventive care in villages, where access to specialised services remains limited. As part of the programme, mobile vans will conduct cancer screening drives, while adolescent girls will be covered under HPV vaccination campaigns.

Officials said pregnant women identified under the programme will be provided priority access to consultations at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), with a “zero-refusal” policy for treatment and delivery care.

“The focus is on ensuring that patients, especially pregnant women, are not turned away and receive timely care. We are committing to comprehensive maternal services under the outreach,” said the director, GIMS Greater Noida, Dr (Brig.) Rakesh Gupta.

A “pink card” system will be introduced to enable beneficiaries to access priority consultations at the institute without waiting, officials said. In addition to screening and treatment, camps will facilitate the creation of digital ABHA IDs to streamline patient records and improve continuity of care.

Officials said that the outreach is designed to bring healthcare services closer to communities. “The idea is to expand access to preventive and diagnostic care through camps and mobile units, so that people do not have to depend solely on hospital visits,” said Dr Rambha Pathak, the dean of GIMS.

The programme will be implemented with logistical support from Honda India Foundation, while GIMS will provide medical expertise and ensure the availability of free medicines.

“Our role is to support execution at the grassroots-level so that screening, vaccination and basic healthcare services reach underserved populations,” said vice-president at Honda India Foundation, Piyush Mittal.

Officials said the initiative will also generate data that can support evidence-based treatment approaches and future research collaborations.

The rollout comes after GIMS and the Honda India Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to support rural healthcare interventions.

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