Health Care Reform for Police Personnel and their Families in Rajasthan

Agency : ICMR

The intervention projection was built on earlier work of IIHMR on health problems and life styles of police personnel in close collaboration with Rajasthan Police Academy (RPA). The objective of the project was to establish a dedicated Health Resource Centre and Helpline (HRCHL) to provide preventive and counseling services to police personnel and their family members. The project also focused on assessment of treatment-seeking behavior of police personnel and to conduct periodic evaluation of the level of stress, health status and prevalence of substance use on a random basis. The HRCHL had been operational since June 2011 on the RPA campus. IEC material like posters, pamphlets and stickers were developed and distributed in all the 33 districts of Rajasthan. The research team made multimedia presentations at the district level for different cadre of police personnel at police lines, police stations, and SP offices. A toll-free telephone helpline was set up at RPA.

So far, police personnel amounting to 1758 have been registered with the helpline from the level of assistant superintendent police, Dy. S.P, and inspector to constable. The majority of the queries have been from the police personnel of the age group of 18-40 years. Most queries were related to gastro-intestinal problems, endocrinal disorders, lung diseases, heart diseases, skin disorders, HIV and AIDS, diseases of the central nervous system and gynecological problems. The Team is constantly counseling them and developing IEC material to inform the police personnel about the prevention, care and treatment for specific diseases. Additionally, an intervention program called “Swasth Police : Ek Pahal” has been initiated in eight districts and activities like health check-up, yoga and exercise, stress management, de-addiction program and IEC are being conducted.


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