Karnataka launches pilot programme for mid-life women’s health and menopause care

The Karnataka government has ordered a three-month pilot of RUTHU TAARE, the state’s Mid-Life Women’s Health and Menopause programme, in Dakshina Kannada district. The initiative will provide screening and healthcare support for women aged 35 and above, covering perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause.

According to the government order, the pilot will use existing public health facilities, including primary health centres, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, taluka and district hospitals, and designated medical colleges. Dedicated clinic sessions are planned for Wednesdays at primary health centres and hospitals, and for Saturdays at medical colleges, subject to staff and facility availability.

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), ASHA mentors, community health officers and medical staff will help identify eligible women and connect them with services. The programme also proposes a Mid-Life Health Card to support screening, clinical assessment, referrals and follow-up.

As per the GO, screening for hypertension, diabetes, obesity and other cardiometabolic risks will be linked with existing non-communicable disease services. Breast and cervical cancer screening will follow existing state protocols. Mental health referrals will be integrated with current services, including Gruha Arogya, while nutrition counselling will cover diet, bone health and healthy weight management, the notification reads.

The order directs state programme divisions to prepare operating guidelines, screening tools, clinical and referral protocols, training materials and Kannada-language awareness resources. It also calls for training ASHAs and other frontline health workers, as well as a reporting system to track screening, risk classification, referrals and follow-up. Officials will examine the feasibility of a digital registry and an anonymised state-level dashboard.

The Dakshina Kannada Health Department will monitor the pilot and submit monthly progress reports. After three months, the programme will be assessed for screening coverage, referral completion, service availability, resource needs and implementation challenges. The GO says that a proposal for refining the programme and expanding it in phases across Karnataka will be considered based on the evaluation.