Tura, Oct 19: Health & Family Welfare Minister, James P K Sangma today laid the foundation stone for upgrading Kharkutta PHC to Community Health Centre (CHC) in North Garo Hills. The foundation stone was laid in the presence of Timothy D Shira, Deputy Speaker and Resubelpara MLA, MLAs of Bajengdoba and Kharkutta, Pongseng Marak and Rupert Momin.
Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, James said that the challenges faced during the COVID 19 pandemic have led the government to realize the need for better equipped health infrastructures. The need to shelter large numbers of patients, to upgrade PHC to CHC, revamping of sub centers and strengthening of these infrastructures has been the priority of the government in order to enable the people and the state for better health care services, he informed.
The tireless persuasion of the Kharkutta MLA, Rupert Momin on the need for the upgradation of Kharkutta PHC to CHC and for understanding the basic need of the people necessitated the upgradation of the PHC to CHC, said James P K SAngma.
“With it being operational on completion, the hospital would accommodate four medical specialists, well equipped health services and beds would be enhanced to as many as 30 numbers,” James said.
Mentioning the digitized payment system, the health minister said the problem of late payment to ASHA health workers has been resolved. Efforts are also on for ensuring improvement of the payment system, he added.
Speaking on the shortage of medical doctors, especially specialists, Sangma said that a MoU has been signed with the Tamil Nadu government to facilitate capacity building of medical professionals. The health minister also informed that the state soon would have its own medical college in Shillong to cater to the need of medical professionals and also the Recruitment Board to facilitate timely appointment of medical doctors and nurses. He also informed that the government is also on the move to initiate a medicine procurement agency in order to address the problem of medicines shortages in the health centres.
Kharkutta MLA and Chairman MNREDA, Rupert Momin in his speech said the upgradation of Kharkutta PHC to CHC would address the health problems of the people especially the poor section of the society who otherwise could not afford to visit distant private hospitals in neighbouring Assam.
Others who spoke during the programme included, Bajengdoba MLA Pongseng Marak, Deputy Speaker and Resubelpara MLA, Timothy D Shira.