SHILLONG, Jan 9: The Health department is contemplating sending another batch of doctors to Tamil Nadu for six months of specialised training in emergency maternal obstetric care, life-saving anaesthetic skills and ultrasonography.
Under this initiative, which has been instrumental in strengthening healthcare services in rural areas, nearly 100 doctors have been trained till date under a unique partnership with Tamil Nadu and have been later deployed in remote parts of Meghalaya.
“We are planning to send another batch of doctors to Tamil Nadu within this month,” said Commissioner and Secretary of Health department, Sampath Kumar.
Highlighting the programme’s impact, Kumar shared an incident where a pregnant woman lost her life at Pynursla Community Health Centre due to lack of ultrasound facilities, unaware that she was carrying twins.
He said with trained doctors providing critical diagnostic services, healthcare access has now improved significantly in remote areas of Meghalaya.
It may be mentioned that the initiative aligns with the Chief Minister’s Safe Motherhood Scheme (CM-SMS) to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in the state. It is also part of an inter-state collaboration established in 2022 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Meghalaya and Tamil Nadu, focusing on capacity building and knowledge sharing.
Meanwhile, Kumar praised the efforts of village councils in improving healthcare outcomes.
Referring to Wahlyngdoh village in Mawkynrew Block, he noted that community leadership had ensured 100 per cent institutional deliveries.
He said the village council even facilitated timely transportation for mothers in critical conditions, showcasing their commitment “The village council’s effort has been to save the lives of two mothers who were in critical condition,” he said.
According to Kumar, the programme’s success has drawn international support, including from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Harvard University.
“The Gates Foundation is providing additional manpower and technical expertise, while Harvard has documented a 50% reduction in maternal deaths, highlighting the leadership and community mobilisation driving this transformation,” he said.
