NONGPOH, Oct 28: The state government has announced that it will soon digitise the healthcare facilities in Meghalaya to bolster the efficiency and streamline service delivery in hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Informing this after laying the foundation stone for the upgrade of Byrnihat Primary Health Centre to a Community Health Centre in Ri-Bhoi on Friday, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma reiterated that the government is making concerted efforts to improve the overall health scenario in Meghalaya.
Arguing that technology and investments in key areas will aid in the state government’s approach in strengthening healthcare facilities across the state, the chief minister informed the gathering about the move to digitise office workflow in hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Maintaining that digitisation will further strengthen efficiency and streamline service delivery in hospitals and healthcare facilities, Conrad said, “Ri-Bhoi is going to lead the way in the transformation of how health services will be delivered. We are going to digitise the entire patient record and the entire system of services from the CHC level all the way up to the civil hospitals. This is one of a kind project in the region and in the country today. Once the computerised system is implemented it will transform the entire health sector. The use of technology, the use of software and application is going to change the way the health services are delivered to the people.”
Maintaining that digital database will be an important asset for preventive healthcare, the chief minister said, “We will be able to use analysis from the digital data to predict diseases and outbreaks that will allow the Health department to serve better, in a more efficient way, with the same resources that we have.”
It may be mentioned that the chief minister laid the foundation stone in the presence of Jirang MLA Sosthenes Sohtun, Jirang MDC Victor Ranee, government officials, prominent leaders of the area and locals.
The government will pay out an estimated amount of Rs.11 crore for the upgrade of Byrnihat PHC, which caters to 113 villages.
The chief minister, in his address, also expressed his happiness that the long-pending need of the people of the area could be realised, while hoping that upgrade of the PHC will be able to provide access to better healthcare facilities to the people of the Byrnihat and adjoining areas.
Meanwhile, referring to different development projects for Jirang, Conrad informed that the Patharkhmah Administrative Unit will soon be upgraded to a Civil Subdivision.
