There is massive gap in state’s doc-population ratio: Speaker

SHILLONG, May 27: Meghalaya reeling under the dearth of doctors is now writ large with Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh, in a stark revelation, informing that there is a “massive” gap in the state’s doctor-population ratio.
The Speaker revealed this in his address during the inaugural function of the 22nd scientific conference-cum-general body meeting of the Meghalaya Medical Services Association (MMSA) on Friday.
Informing that the availability of doctors in Meghalaya is around 600, the Speaker said that in view of the shortage of doctors there is tremendous pressure in the state’s healthcare system.
“Looking at the doctor-population ratio, each doctor in the state will need to attend a population of 5,500. The gap is massive. Therefore, we have to come together and to handle this problem of shortage of doctors in the state,” the Speaker said.
He also asked doctors to look beyond the limitations and continue rendering their service selflessly.
The Speaker also suggested the members of the MMSA to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring medical services to the state.
Health Minister James Sangma, who was also part of the programme, said that the resilience of the state’s healthcare system can only be further bolstered through collective efforts by formulating strategies for the welfare of the people.
“We need to have public programmes in rural and poor urban areas, engaging indigenous practitioners and community volunteers spreading knowledge on food, exercise and moderate lifestyle. All of it becomes important when we are looking towards building a robust infrastructure,” the health minister said.
James accentuated the need to make concerted efforts towards building a strong healthcare system through multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approaches. “The idea for building this new agenda for public health should not have begun with the pandemic,” the health minister argued.
“We are already building a paradigm shift to involve epidemiological transition stages which came with the rise of chronic non-communicable diseases, and demographic and environmental transitions, which are contributing its own share towards catalysing diseases, especially zoonotic ones,” he said.
James said there is an unfinished agenda of maternal and child mortality, HIV AIDS and other communicable diseases.
“All of this combined continues to exert immense strain on the overstretched healthcare system of the state. The point is not to spread apprehensions in the environment. More than anything it tells us where we need to focus our energy for solving some of the most compelled challenges of a developing state,” he said.
Others who were part of the programme include DHS (MI) Aman War, DHS (MCH &FW) Dr HC Lyndem, among others.