Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and others inspecting the upgraded District Hospital Kiphire. The 50-bedded hospital was inaugurated by Rijiju on November 9. (Photo: Neiphiu Rio @ Neiphiu_Rio/ Twitter)
• Union minister inaugurates upgraded district hospital Kiphire
• Attends first Nagaland Cabinet meeting held outside state capital
Our Correspondent
Kiphire | November 9
Union Minister of State for Home Affair, Kiren Rijiju has expressed concern that North East people are ruining their health due to adoption of unhealthy lifestyle.
“The people from North East are considered the most gifted and healthiest in the country but of recent, we are harming our self with unhealthy food habits and lifestyle, Rijiju stated this during the inauguration of the upgraded 50-bedded District Hospital, Kiphire on Friday evening. The upgraded hospital was inaugurated in the presence of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and the Cabinet team.
Citing case in point, Rijiju disclosed that 80-90% of North East people coming to Delhi for treatment happen to be cancer related, which itself is a testimony of the unhealthy habits that the people of the region have taken up.
He therefore urged the people to maintain a balance and adopt healthy lifestyle and eat food that is organic and found abundantly in the region.
'As a healthy people, peace loving people, smart people, we have to have healthy life. We are gifted people, have colorful culture, classless society, casteless society, nobody is king, nobody is subject we are all equal,' Rijiju said.
However, He said the people of North East need to channelize these energy for a prosperous society, while adding, “we need to work harder, we need to augment those resources.”
Terming the inauguration of newly upgraded district hospital a significant milestone in the history of health sector in Kiphire, the MoS congratulated the medical department for building the hospital with state of the art equipments as the district has lacked behind due to various historical, geographical and other reasons.
Stressing on the importance of health infrastructure, he pointed out that education and health are two soft infrastructures which cannot be ignored and is an indicator of the well being of any civilized society.
On the occasion, Rijiju handed over certificates of recognition to Dr Sunup and head nurse Noklentula for their service to DHK.
Rijiju, who also attended the Nagaland Cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said Nagaland Government is heading towards the right direction by introducing such initiatives.
The union minister also stated that Cabinet meeting held outside the state capital is indeed rare and termed it as a ‘historic event.’ He felt this would surely help in bringing the public closer to the government.
Informing about attending the Nagaland Cabinet meeting at Kiphire, Rijiju through his Twitter handle informed that “many significant decisions have been taken during the meeting for the Kiphire district and for the whole State of Nagaland.”
Health sector to improve with upgraded hospital: Rio
Chief Minister Rio in his address congratulated the medical department and said health sector will improve tremendously in Kiphire with the opening of the upgraded hospital which would serve as referral hospital as the district is very far from Kohima and Dimapur.
Acknowledging the lack of availability of good doctors in far flung areas he stated that the government was toying with the idea of having visiting doctors visit hospitals in interior area so that people don't have to travel to Kohima and Dimapur for treatment as timely intervention is very important.
Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Pangnyu Phom in his welcome address stated that never before have “such a meaningful and important day has happened in ENPO area.” Kashiho Sangtam, Minister for Soil & Water Conservation, Geology & Mining highlighting the difficulties faced by the people of Kiphire, stated that the district being landlocked was in need of better road connectivity.
