SHILLONG, Jan 12: The Centre awarded seven projects to Meghalaya in the past few months so the state can strengthen its health facilities, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said.
After inaugurating the Integrated Public Health Laboratory (IPHL) under PM-ABHIM at Pasteur Institute, Shillong on Friday, she told reporters the Centre awarded two critical care block projects which include two 50-bed district hospitals in Williamnagar and Khliehriat.
“We are going to build two critical care blocks, one each in the two district hospitals,” Lyngdoh said.
She said this intervention will go a long way in strengthening the two district hospitals, which are the secondary care centers for the citizens.
She identified the locations of critical care blocks and IPHLs to be built in seven districts under the PM-ABHIM (FY 2021-2026).
The Minister said they are also happy that the Centre has given infrastructure to set up IPHLs in Pasteur Institute, Jowai, Mawkyrwat and Ampati.
“These labs have been modeled by Government of India and they will attempt to improve testing facilities for communicable as well as non-communicable diseases,” Lyngdoh said, adding that people are required to spend a lot of money for medical tests.
According to her, the laboratories will substantially decrease the out-of-pocket costs associated with tests. “With the state-of-the-art technology and the surveillance nature, these labs will be able to predict if there is an outbreak of certain diseases. So, this is very, very important for us. We saw outbreaks of cholera, diarrhea and even COVID-19,” she said. Lyngdoh said an institute of this nature equipped with necessary specialists, will be able to preempt and address outbreaks as well as respond to the extent of damage that such diseases can inflict on the state’s population.
She expressed gratitude to the Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya for attending the programme virtually, and to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi for assistance, not just to Meghalaya but to the entire Northeast.
Mandaviya virtually laid the foundation stone for various healthcare infrastructure projects in Meghalaya and other states of the region.
