SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, Jan 3: Under the National Health Mission, the role of an Assessment team or Assessor is to conduct an on-site assessment of the applicant hospital/ SHCO and provide a report to the health department for them to get the certification. The objective of the on-site assessment is to obtain evidence on compliance concerning government standards and other policy documents.
These officials help governments to maintain the standards of hospitals to be able to provide better facilities to patients. One of these is Gynaecologist Dr Deepawali, who along with being the first woman National Assessor in Jharkhand, is also a medical practitioner at RINPAS, Ranchi. Here are excerpts of a conversation with her about her journey.
Q. How did you decide to become an Assessor and work on evaluating hospitals?
A. While working as a gynecologist, I realised that there was little to no regard given to the conditions of women, especially in the health sector. Along with this, pregnant women were most neglected in several far-flung regions of the state. I wanted to be able to do something to improve this situation, as being a government servant I knew that the government had several programmes to help women and pregnant women, which they were unable to access. Reasons behind this may have been neglect and misinformation as well as extreme poverty and illiteracy. Hence, I took the chance, when I got to work in better conditions.
Q. What was the process of becoming an Assessor?
A. I wanted to provide quality health services. During this time, I received an offer from the Government of India, wherein I could get certified. ‘LaQshya: Labour Room and Quality Improvement Initiative’, a government initiative aimed at improving the quality of care for mothers and newborns during intrapartum and immediate post-partum period, was working for it. Before LaQshya, we would often notice that the labour rooms were the most neglected. There was no quality control, cleanliness or any kind of protocol followed.
The Government of India had held a training programme, wherein government doctors were called upon and trained. After this, the doctors would have to clear an examination wherein we would be asked questions related to quality control.
When I cleared the exam in around 2017-18, I was the first woman doctor from Jharkhand, to have cleared the exam and become an Assessor.
After clearing the examination, the government stated that the Assessors would be sent to different regions on a National Level, where preferably no one knew us, so that they would not expect special treatment, and we would get to complete our work efficiently, without bias.
Q. How does an Assessment happen? What is the process of it all?
A. Usually hospitals apply for these assessments to the NHSRC (National Health Systems Resource Centre) division in the Government of India, after which we are sent there. There are two kinds of assessments, one for the whole hospital, while the other is for the labour wards and maternity OT. If certain criteria are fulfilled, the hospitals can be assessed on a national level.
The government then sends the assessors to these hospitals for a three-day assessment. We try to send the reports the same night we assess a part of the hospital to avoid any kind of issue. After the process is complete the NHRC issues certificates for these hospitals.
Q. Have you seen an impact though this programme?
A. There is definitely a change that has been observed throughout labour rooms in India. Despite not having a certificate, hospitals in both remote villages and districts actively work on providing facilities all over the nation.
Q. Prior to becoming an Assessor, where were you posted? Where are you working presently?
A. I was posted as a gynecologist working in a government hospital when I got my certification. At the moment, I am posted in RINPAS as a gynecologist.
