By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 16: The Meghalaya government has taken up the challenge of transforming the state’s health sector, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Monday.
Addressing the first-ever ‘Health Summit’ here, he said the health sector of the state remained neglected for various reasons but the government will now address the situation through reforms.
“Our objective is that anybody who requires medical attention is not required to go outside the state. The health sector will be transformed in such a manner that the citizens of the state, the region, and the neighbouring countries will look to Meghalaya for treatment,” Sangma said.
“It is a big target but we have set our goals and prepared ourselves for the task. It is a long journey. Let us set our targets clearly, invest and create an ecosystem,” he said.
Health is not the responsibility of the state government alone but other stakeholders also play an important role, Sangma said in the presence of Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and stakeholders, including representatives from hospitals from across the state.
Speaking on the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and outcomes, the Chief Minister said, “Health is one of the most critical pillars of governance, and for us, it has remained at the top of our agenda.”
He said the summit is not just about numbers but also about outcomes—how investments translate into real improvements in the lives of the people of the state.
Stating that Meghalaya currently allocates over 8% of its total state budget to healthcare which is the highest among the states in the country, he said this is not merely a budgetary statistic but a reflection of the state’s priorities.
“Over the past seven years, the government has launched multiple initiatives to improve infrastructure, human resources, technology adoption, and accessibility,” he said.
He recalled that when MDA 2.0 assumed office in 2018, the state faced a backlog of over 500 doctor positions. Due to delays in recruitment through MPSC for over four years, the government decided to establish the Meghalaya Medical Services Recruitment Board which recruited over 500 doctors within three months, he said.
During the event, the Chief Minister and the Health Minister handed over appointment letters to 164 staff nurses, 78 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives and 181 AYUSH professionals under the National AYUSH Mission.
Acknowledging that many health facilities – PHCs, CHCs, and Civil Hospitals – were previously in disrepair, Sangma said significant investments have been made over the last few years to improve their condition, with a focus on building a robust and responsive health infrastructure.
“Digital transformation has been a key enabler. Benefits for ASHAs, previously delayed due to paperwork, are now processed and disbursed within a week through a digitised platform,” he said.
The government has also streamlined real-time inventory and drug supply chains, allowing health facilities to raise indents online and ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines.
“The entire system has been digitised. Today, we know exactly where delays happen. We can resolve issues swiftly,” Sangma added.
The Health Minister said, “This summit marks a paradigm shift in how we approach healthcare—not just as a public service, but as a shared responsibility involving government, civil society, and the private sector.”
A roundtable discussion with stakeholders was held throughout the day, wherein issues related to emerging technologies, non-communicable diseases like cancer and diabetes, and strategies to bridge urban-rural healthcare divides were discussed.
A highlight was the call for data-driven public health planning and stronger collaboration between public institutions and not-for-profit healthcare providers.