Pungro is Nagaland’s first ‘malaria-free’ town: H&FW Minister Pangnyu
S Pangnyu Phom - @pangnyu -Twitter
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 17
Pungro in Kiphire District is the first ‘malaria-free’ town in the state, informed Nagaland’s Minister of Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) S Pangnyu Phom.
In addition, under National Vector Borne Disease & Control Programme (NVBDCP), he said that the incidence of Malaria has been reduced from 113 in 2018 to 20 in 2019 with no cases reported from 3 districts and placing the State in Category 1 with Annual Parasitic Incidence at less than 1.
The Minister stated this in an interview to Elets News Network’s (ENN) and published on January 16 by ‘eHEALTH’, an online and print platform on healthcare issues.
Pungro town was selected as model town for reduction of malaria by NVBDCP, Kiphire under the Nagaland H&FW Department, on June 8, 2019.
Analysing the healthcare delivery system of Nagaland in terms of quality, accessibility and affordability, Pangnyu maintained that despite challenges due to connectivity, geographical barriers and health seeking behaviour, the State government is leaving “no stone unturned to improve healthcare delivery system, enabling people accessible and affordable patient care.”
Significant health progress
In the interview, he also highlighted that Nagaland has registered significant health progress over recent decades.
The state has the lowest Infant mortality rate (IMR) in the country at 7 per 1000 live birth as per SRS May 2019 and its performance in the State ranking on TB Control Programme has improved from 18th position in 2018 to 12th in 2019 in the country, he said.
A total of 196 schools, 24 colleges and 3 villages have been declared Tobacco Free, he added.
The Minister also claimed that the state has adequate health facilities as its population - 11 District Hospitals, 21 CHC, 126 PHC, 396 SC, 2 TB Hospitals and 1 Mental Hospital.
Other than major cities like Kohima and Dimapur, all other districts heavily rely on the public health system which the state Government is continuously trying to improve and upgrade, keeping in minds the changing epidemiological trends, he said. Best affordable services are being provided to every citizen irrespective of social status, class or gender, he claimed.
Initiatives
The Minister, while highlighting various initiative taken for improvement of health sector, also said that along with regular Performance Reviews at various levels, the department has taken up initiatives such as annual best District Hospitals, Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centre awards –Kayakalp, under the umbrella of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
The department has adopted the National Quality Assurance Standards and has actively implemented starting with the District Hospitals for Quality Healthcare, he said.
Besides commitment to provide quality and accessible maternal and child health services to every beneficiary coming to public health facilities with several interventions and programme aids, the department has launched ‘LaQshya’ initiative to fast track the interventions for achieving tangible result by strengthening key processes related to Labour Room and Maternity Operation Theatre, he added.
The communitisation of health sector also resulted in strengthening and revitalization of the dismal health system in the State, Pangnyu pointed out.
As of January 8, hospitalization expenses of 7,438 beneficiaries worth Rs 9 crore have been paid to various empanelled hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (ABPMJAY), he said.
To promote prompt and timely access to healthcare, the department has placed 80 Ambulances for Referral Transport of serious patients while to make quality generic medicines available at affordable prices for all, the department has set up Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendra (PMBJK) in all District Hospitals, Pangnyu added. To ensure availability of doctors in remote and difficult areas and to provide equal opportunity to all members of In-Services Doctors, the department has formulated Roster Posting linking with career progression, he added.
New projects
Meanwhile, talking about the future, the Minister said that the State Government is committed to start the first ever Medical College in the State of Nagaland by 2021-22 - Medical College at Kohima
The department is setting one National Centre for Disease Control at Dimapur to enhance the capacity and capability for disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and rapid response to contain and combat outbreaks.
In keeping with the National Goal of Health India, the State Government has been actively promoting AYUSH System of Medicine as an alternative medicine to needy people and two integrated AYUSH Hospital-30 bedded at Noklak and 10 bedded at Dimapur was made fully functional in 2018, he said.
Another two more AYUSH Hospital Razha Chedema under Kohima and Sabangya under Mokokchung are under construction, he added.
Read the full interview here:
