Meghalaya asks for liver transplantation facility at NEIGRIHMS

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Government on Tuesday requested the Union Health Ministry to set up up a liver transplantation centre in NEIGRIHMS here in order to reduce the financial burden of patients who now have to undergo liver transplantation outside.
State Health Minister, AL Hek after meeting Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that patients now have to shell out Rs 20-25 lakhs for a liver transplantation outside and if the proposal was approved, same transplant can be done here at Rs 4-5 lakhs.
The Union Minister during the discussions said that he would examine the matter.According to Hek, they also discussed about the shortage of doctors especially specialists in the premiere institute .
In the meeting, Hek also submitted Rs 52-crore proposal to Vardhan about state Government’s plans to prevent Japanese Encephalitis in the state especially in Garo Hills region.
“We would require central assistance for fuming machines, nets and even for the vaccination of the people,” Hek said.
Hek also asked the Union Minister to sanction more funds for the completion of the cancer wing which was almost completed The cancer wing is being constructed at the Shillong Civil Hospital premises
The construction of the wing started in 2011 with a funding of Rs 26 crore from the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India.
In 2015, a team from the Department of Atomic Energy had pulled up the state government for the delay and sophisticated equipment worth Rs 15 crore will be used to provide better medical facilities to patients.
The cancer wing is the need of the hour in the state which registers high incidence cancer.