Meghalaya push to reduce manpower deficiency at health centres

In sync with the focus on augmenting healthcare at the grassroots, the Meghalaya health department is on a mission to create a pool of eligible manpower to ensure that the healthcare centres of the state can serve people better and are ready for any eventuality in future.

Towards this end, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday inaugurated the GNM Nursing School at Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills district in the presence of senior officials from the district administration and health department.

Congratulating the health department for achieving the important milestone of completing the GNM School of Nursing he said that the last two years have been difficult because of the pandemic but it brought about the realisation of the different deficiencies that are there in the health sector.

"We had challenges in terms of manpower or infrastructure and it was a time when the crisis gave us an opportunity to realise that we need to do much more when it comes to the health sector in our state," he said.

It may be mentioned that the construction of the nursing school building in Nongstoin began in November 2014 and was completed in 2016. However, due to the COVID-19 situation, the inauguration of the school was deferred.

Sangma further said that in the past two years there has been a concerted effort to push the health sector and maximise investments in the health sector.

The chief minister further informed that more GNM schools would be set up in the state, starting from Nongpoh in Ri Bhoi, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills, in a huge push to close the manpower deficiency in the health sector.

The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the maternal mortality rates and the infant mortality rate and urged all the officials and stakeholders to collectively address the issue

"The government is trying to ensure that the 600 health centres across the state are efficient and more effective to provide primary health care and service especially when our resources are limited," he said.

He also informed that a Rs 280 crore project to set up a medical skill centre in Meghalaya, which will be the largest skill development centre in the country, has been approved by the Union ministry of minority affairs.

"The increased enrollment in MHIS (Megha Health Insurance Scheme), the setting up of 485 different wellness and health centers and many other projects in the health sector are some endeavours to give maximum thrust and priority to the state's health sector," he said.

The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the maternal mortality rates and the infant mortality rate and urged all the officials and stakeholders to collectively address the issue.

He further urged the nursing trainees to adopt a holistic approach towards healthcare and to be always motivated by remembering the purpose with which they have taken up the profession.

The chief minister urged the GNM trainees to help, give care, to save lives and to serve with kindness and dedication.

The government is also making sure that sub-centres are able to provide additional services to the people of the state," he said.