Mizoram gets its first 'Health ATMs'

Aizawl, Aug 18 (PTI) In a landmark initiative in public healthcare, 'Health ATMs' were inaugurated at two medical establishments in Mizoram on Monday, an official said.

The 'Health ATMs', equipped with modern diagnostic tools, will enable citizens to instantly get their vital health parameters such as blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI and oxygen levels checked by health officials.

The facilities were unveiled at Lunglei Civil Hospital and Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Lungsen village under the district administration's 'Healthy Lunglei Initiative', Health Minister Lalrinpuii said.

The Health ATMs will offer 35 varieties of diagnostic tests, covering general health, diabetes, hematology, cardiac, ear, eye, and mental health parameters, officials said.

These include vital checks such as blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI, ECG, lipid profile, vision and hearing assessments, as well as a depression and anxiety screening tool, they said.

A personalised diet plan feature is also available to support preventive healthcare, they said.

All tests can be done free of cost in less than half an hour, with instant results delivered directly to the user's mobile phone.

Besides the health minister, Lunglei High Powered Committee vice chairman and MLA V Malsawmtluanga, Lunglei South MLA Lalramliana Papuia, Lunglei Municipal Council chairman and councillors, representatives of companies, churches and NGOs, party leaders and students attended the inaugural event.

Speaking on the occasion, Lalrinpuii described the occasion of launching Mizoram's first 'Health ATMs' as a "proud and historic moment" for the state.

She highlighted the progress made under the 'Healthy Lunglei' campaign, launched in June 2024, which has expanded preventive healthcare through screenings, awareness drives, and active community participation.

Speaking on the 'Health ATMs', she said the IoT-enabled kiosks will generate digital health records for timely follow-up, helping bridge the gap between rural and urban healthcare facilities while reducing time and cost for patients.

Lalrinpuii also commended the Lunglei deputy commissioner's office for holistic public health initiatives such as Project LEAP (for Persons with Disabilities) and Project BLOOM (focused on improving maternal and child health in Lungsen aspirational block).

She thanked MVS India, ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd, and BRN for their CSR support and collaboration, calling the project "a shining example of government, private sector, and civil society working together to achieve lasting change".

Lunglei Deputy Commissioner Navneet Mann gave a brief description of the Health ATM initiative and other activities under the Healthy Lunglei District Campaign.

The Health ATM initiative was made possible following a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Manav Vikas Sanstha (MVS India), Lunglei DC's office and ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd, officials said.

Under the MoU, ABCI and BRN funded the procurement and maintenance of the Health ATMs through its CSR programme, while the MVS India was responsible for installation, training and technical support, they said.

The DC's office will provide administrative facilitation and ensure sustainability.

With the introduction of Health ATMs, Lunglei district has taken a pioneering step in integrating technology into healthcare delivery, improving access to preventive services, and strengthening the vision of a Healthy Lunglei, officials added.

They said that the installation of a Health ATM at PHC Lungsen is expected to greatly strengthen ongoing health initiatives to improve health indicators under the NITI Aayog's aspirational blocks programme in Lungsen block. PTI COR ACD