Raipur: Chhattisgarh Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal said the state government is committed to delivering quality healthcare services to people living in remote and sensitive areas. He stressed that “our goal is to ensure zero deaths due to malaria”, with the health department maintaining a high level of preparedness across the state.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the minister said the Mukhyamantri Swasth Bastar Abhiyan has produced encouraging results in the Bastar region. Under the campaign, more than 3.429 million people were screened, covering nearly 99% of the targeted population. The initiative enabled the early detection and treatment of malaria, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, leprosy, and oral cancer. More than 60,000 critically ill patients were referred to higher medical centres, while 10,938 high-risk pregnant women received specialized monitoring and care.
Responding to recent malaria cases, Jaiswal said the health department is on high alert. Mitanins, ANMs, health workers, and field staff are conducting testing, treatment, surveys, and awareness campaigns in villages. He said the government’s focus is on timely screening, prompt treatment, continuous monitoring, and community awareness to achieve zero malaria deaths.
The minister said strategic planning and close monitoring have reduced the malaria positivity rate in Bastar Division from 4.60% to 0.48%, while the state’s Annual Parasite Index (API) has declined from 5.21 to 0.90.
Highlighting maternal and child healthcare, he said the state recorded over 1.189 million institutional deliveries in the past two and a half years. Under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, high-risk pregnancies are receiving regular specialist check-ups and treatment.
To strengthen emergency healthcare, the government deployed 375 new 108 Sanjeevani Express ambulances, which provided emergency services to more than 650,000 people between January 2024 and June 2026.
The state has also partnered with HLL Lifecare Limited to provide pathology testing across 1,051 government health facilities through a hub-and-spoke model supported by an IT-based reporting system.
Jaiswal announced that paramedical courses will be introduced in all 10 government medical colleges in Chhattisgarh to train healthcare professionals and create employment opportunities for young people.
The minister also directed officials to strictly enforce the ban on the sale and use of analogue paneer across the state, warning that strict action would be taken against anyone violating food safety regulations.
