TURA, Nov 8: Meghalaya Health Minister James K Sangma was on Monday part of a meeting called by the Health Department at the premises of the Sub Divisional Hospital at Jengjal to quell fears of the people on rumours doing the rounds on the move being taken by the government with regard to its functioning.
The meeting which was attended by Principal Secretary, Health Sampath Kumar, all stakeholders, land donors and the local people assured those present that the hospital is being upgraded as bigger Sub Divisional Hospital with focus on Maternal & child care instead of being kept as PHC due to strategic importance of Jengjal and high incidence of Maternal and child Mortality in the area. It was also informed that it would have specialists and super specialists from CMC Vellore and cater to referral care from all across Garo Hills.
The people were also assured that the hospital would be run on Private Public Partnership (PPP) but remain as a Government Hospital with no extra charges to the patients and function like any other Government Hospital. The tenure of the PPP would be for 5 years and no permanent handover to NGOs as rumoured.
With regard to allegations that donors and the employed staff would be losing out on jobs due to the change, the people were informed that jobs have already been provided to the donors and all the sanctioned posts of doctors and other health staff have been deputed elsewhere.
“Some people have approached the High Court in this matter but it has not put any stay or injunction on the proposed action of the Government. Vested interests are misleading the people which will harm the interest of poor people,” West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh tweeted from his official Fb handle while commenting on the matter.