Chizokho Vero
August 7
KOHIMA (MExN): The improved communitization in the Health sector has brought about remarkable changes in the State. According to the Health and Family Welfare department, some of the changes that have taken place is the overall increase in staff attendance, record entries and routine report submission. Regular disbursement of salaries and availability of medicines are also areas where improvement has been made.
The department was among the first, alongside with the school education department to launch the programme of communitization, during 2002. In mutual trust and confidence the powers of management and maintenance of health centers were delegated to the community under the Nagaland Communitization of Public Institutions and Services Act, 2002. The department had communitized all 350 health sub-centers and experimented with 7 primary health centers and 1 community health center in Nagaland.
The department stated that, the response of the people has been overwhelmingly positive. It further said that its programs have been well appreciated by the people and that they have come forward with innovative and voluntary contributions to take ownership of the health institutions and to manage them in the way they see best.
Due to the positive responses from the people and because of the willingness and commitments on the part of the State Government to ensure the success of communitization, the department expects the policy of communitization to revolutionize the system of governance and to be a role model for the rest of the country.
“Communitization has made things happen at the ground level. It has opened our eyes to see things differently and now we understand that we should contribute towards our own welfare”, said Vilalhoulie Chielie, Chairman of Merema village Health Committee.
“People are happy and grateful to the State Government and the department of health and family welfare for enabling us to work for our own welfare in partnership with the Government,” said N. Aliba, Kubolong village Health Committee, Chairman
S. Somba Chang, Chairman Chakpa village Health Committee said that the concept has enabled the villagers to use their talents, resources and potentials to improve and promote their health.
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