By Our Reporter
Shillong: The Meghalaya government’s venture in Private-Public Partnerships for public healthcare in some of the rural institutions has not turned out well. In fact, the Government is seriously considering of showing the door to some of the non-performing NGOs and to retain only those who deliver.
The job of the NGOs are nothing short of being miserable, so much so that people from many of the targeted service areas have lodged several complaints with the Health Department about the non-available of doctors, lack of para-medics, non-availability of medicines and materials and tardiness in their services.
Many people in the rural areas have alleged that some of the NGOs are not interested in delivering healthcare to the people but are more interested in the huge funds flowing abundantly through the National Rural Health Mission sanctioned by the Ministry of Health through the Department of Health of Meghalaya.
According to Health Department authorities, a few NGOs like Bakdil of Garo Hills and Karuna Trust of Khasi Hills are an exception as they ventured in extending rural healthcare in the established government PHCs and CHCs.
These two NGOs have been found satisfactory in healthcare delivery according to health norms. They said that these NGOs follow strict health norms as per rules, have the necessary manpower such as medical and para-medical staffs and also provide healthcare and health materials to the target groups by following strict health norms prescribed by NRHM.
Again, when talked to many rural people under the remotest areas of Umtrai, Jirang, Myriaw and Umkiang PHCs they said that the doctors and Nurses of Karuna Trust are helping them a lot. Moreover, people under Gabil, Wageasi and Siju PHCs of Garo Hills have certified that Bakdil is giving better health services than the government doctors and nurses. They said that doctors and nurses are always busy at the PHCs and also touring the villages.