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Geographical Information
System (GIS) can be described as organised collection of Computer
Hardware, Software and Geographical Data (spatial & non-spatial) and
manpower who is using it. GIS is used to work as a Decision Support System
because it maximizes the efficiency of planning, resource allocation and
decision making. In GIS maps clubbed with associated features of the
particular object are used as base data. These data are processed as per
information requirement and final output can be obtained. There are many
software which can store, retrieve, manipulate and depict GIS data.
Cadastral maps are the most reliable source available for showing
geographical distribution in the context of India. These maps show
district, block and village boundaries and land distribution within the
village. For GIS these maps were digitised. For authenticity and accuracy
these maps were overlaid with the Remote Sensing images of the same
geographical area taken by RS satellite. By adding many non-spatial
features to these images a base database is created. This database is
created by RRSSC Nagpur for Government of Chhattisgarh. Although this is
quite useful for many departments like land records, PWD, Panchayat & RD
it does not contain any data related health department.
But with the help of these
data we started to identify the places where our health institutions are
based and marked them digitally with the help of freely available software
Map window, so that a GIS database of Health department would be created.
It was a daunting task. Initial work started with District Hospitals and
CHC's. Since these are at district and block headquarters these could be
easily located at the state level. Then came PHC's. PHC's are in the
smaller villages than block HQ it took really lot of efforts and consumed
much time too. Then for the subcenters it was realised that these could
not be done by the state level officials only. For which an experienced
departmental person from each block was called who is well aware of all
the subcenters of that block. Hence a base database of the health
department was prepared.
As previously described
GIS can be used very well in resource allocation. When 874 new subcenters
were sanctioned for the state it was decided that the places at which
these new subcenters should be located could be identified with the help
of existing GIS data. A subcenter is supposed to cover 3000 of tribal or
5000 of non-tribal population ideally. Then it should be fairly accessible
from areas which it is supposed to provide services. Also geographical
distribution of these subcenters should be such that no big area should be
left without any health facilities. For rational allocation of these new
proposed subcenters existing health facilities their coverage population
their accessibility were taken as input to propose ideal location for new
subcenters. Similarly, rationalisation of locations of 200 newly
sanctioned Primary Health Centre also is being done using GIS analysis. |
