SHILLONG, Feb 14: In what can be termed as a boost for the healthcare sector in the state, especially in the wake of the ongoing pandemic, the Khliehriat 100-Bedded Civil Hospital was inaugurated by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma in the presence of Social Welfare Minister Kyrmen Shylla, on Monday.
Delivering his address, the chief minister said that the state has given unprecedented importance to the health sector in terms of manpower deployment, providing medication and improving and strengthening the infrastructure.
“Through many schemes, different sub centres, PHCs and CHCs have been upgraded and many more will be upgraded as we move along and we also realised that many services can be given through the existing health centres at the grassroots level without investing much by simply improving the existing centres,” Conrad said.
He also informed that 60-70 per cent of the primary care that needs to be given can be done at the sub-centre and PHC-level, while adding that the government is focussed on the strategy to provide services at the grassroots level.
He also said that a large part of healthcare requires focus on preventive diseases and basic practices such as hygiene, nutrition, good lifestyle, regular check-ups and preventive measures can help in reducing diseases which are more prevalent in the world today.
“Realizing the importance of this, the Meghalaya government has come up with a comprehensive Health policy that focusses on these preventive measures and practices so that lifestyle diseases can be prevented,” the CM said.
Stating that sections in the society like infants, children and pregnant women need special care, Conrad informed that the government accords maximum focus on social sectors like Health and Education.
He also expressed gratitude to the health workers for their commitment and dedicated service to the people in the last two years of COVID-19. “It was challenging and without your commitment and support, we as a state would have been able to face and overcome the challenges of COVID-19,” he said.
It may be mentioned here that the 100-bed hospital was completed in 2013 while the posts were sanctioned in 2014 and has been functioning since then. During the pandemic, the adjacent CHC buildings were utilised as corona care centres.
Members of the Round Table India, who had provided assistance to the management of COVID, Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, MN Nampui, and Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills, Abhilash Baranwal, were also present during the occasion.