By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The health service sector in the state looks promising with the improvement of two major hospitals in the city and the introduction of ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme). And added to this is the new medical college also proposed in the city.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Director, Health Services (MI) Dr AC Hazarika,said that the social welfare schemes such as ICDS has been earmarked for Ganesh Das Hospital in the city besides Tura and Jowai Civil Hospitals are the other two stations where ICDS will also be implemented. He also said that the state government is eyeing Nongstoin in the future expansion list.
Informing on the status of the ICDS in the hospital, the Superintendent, Ganesh Das Hospital (GDH) said that there was meeting recently targeting the catchment areas falling under GDH. “They come in a month time and hold meetings. There are some areas, such as, Jaiaw, Mawkhar etc. which falls under this hospital as we integrate ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) to go with the immunization,” said the Superintendent adding that the ICDS at present is on an awareness drive.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that this two important government run hospitals are upgrading in a larger way for the benefit of the patients. While the Director, Health Services and Senior Health Officials from these two hospitals said patients at large visit these hospitals and their number is always high on any given day, however with the up-gradation patients are going to benefit more.
The Civil Hospital is on an uplift drive as the new cancer wing of the hospital under construction is going in the right direction. This new addition will house accelerated radiation therapy, CT Scan Machine, Color Doppler Machine and other equipment. The wing is expected to be complete by the last part of this year. Presently the hospital has apart from other facilities a 5 bedded ICU room which will be expanded to 12 bedded, an isolation room for selected types of diseases which needs separate observation, rehabilitation room for the benefit of the patients.
Meanwhile the patients which were earlier seen to be lying in the corridor, entrance and outsides rooms in the Civil Hospital is a thing of the past as patients are now lodged inside rooms.
The Health Department had a meeting with the Chief Secretary, Government of Meghalaya regarding the proposed medical college in the TB Hospital Campus, recently.
“The TB Hospital will be shifted to another location. We have already procured land in New Shillong Township and it will be coming up in the PPP mode. The process is going on and the patients of TB Hospital will be relocated there and in its place the medical college will come up. As per the meeting, we expect by 2016 the first batch will come up,” said Dr Hazarika. He also said that the medical college will be initially of 300 bedded and will be further expanded to 500 bedded. “For recognition from the Indian Medical Council the medical college has to be occupied by 70% bedded patients,” he said adding that the tender for the same is expected to be floated by June, 2012.