New Delhi: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday (October 15), laid the foundation stone of infrastructure projects worth Rs 34.80 crore and inaugurated infrastructure works with the financial support of Rs 86.72 crore under the Pradhan Mantri- Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), National Health Mission (NHM) and XVth Finance Commission Health Grants in Assam during a programme held at IIT Guwahati. The event was also attended by Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta.
The foundation stone was laid for one Critical Care Block (CCB 50 Bedded) at Lakhimpur District, one Integrated Public Health Laboratory (IPHL) in Nagaon District, five Block Public Health Units (BPHUs) at Kamrup (2 nos), West Karbi Anglong, Cachar and Charaideo Districts and one Community Health Centre (CHC) at Dibrugarh district at Cachar district under PM-ABHIM and XV-FC Health Grants with the financial support of Rs 34.80 crore.
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Meghalaya
Earlier on Saturday, the Union Minister Dr Mandukh Mandaviya on Saturday (October 14), inaugurated the new Regional Cancer Centre at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong, Meghalaya. He said that the union government is committed to improving health infrastructure in the northeast region. At the inauguration ceremony, Dr Mandaviya said,
Union Government is committed to improving the health infrastructure in the Northeast region and to providing quality healthcare services to the people of the region. The new facilities at NEIGRIHMS will provide much-needed healthcare services to the people of the Northeast region. The Central Government is committed to improving the health infrastructure in the Northeast region and to providing quality healthcare services to the people of the region.
The Union Health Minister also stated that the new facilities at NEIGRIHMS will help to attract and retain medical professionals in the Northeast region.
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Appreciating the work culture and cleanliness in NEIGRIHMS, he said that the government is committed to further developing infrastructure at NEIGRIHMS so that the institute continues to remain a hub for medical treatment, research and training of healthcare and allied healthcare professionals for the Northeast region.
Dr Mandaviya stated that the Centre looks at the Health sector through a holistic approach. He further said,
We are not only creating new and advanced medical infrastructure. We are also increasing the number of doctors and nursing staff. In the last nine years, the number of medical colleges has doubled in the country. 1,70,000 Health and Wellness Centres have been created across the country. We are also building one Critical Care unit in every district in the country.
The Union Government has not viewed the health sector in isolation, said the Union Minister, adding that it is not limited to hospitals or clinics but it is a broad subset that needs a holistic approach.
Speaking about the significant progress in the health infrastructure, Dr Mandaviya informed that the number of MBBS seats in the country increased from 50,000 to one lakh seven thousand in just nine years, starting from 2014. For quality education, the National Medical Commission (NMC) was formed.
The Union Minister highlighted the Ayushman Bhav fortnight that began on the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He added,
Health Melas were held every week in all the Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) and all the medical colleges provided screening, diagnosis, and basic and advanced healthcare services through specialized care, including referrals to tertiary care setup utilizing the existing CHCs. Different services were planned during the fortnight including screening of common cancers such as oral, cervical and breast. Within a span of 15 days, 70,000 operations were planned, which speaks volumes of the success of the campaign. Through this campaign and medical facilities, the government reached the doorsteps of the common people. To ensure quality health, the government aims to develop a health institute of national importance in every state, similar to AIIMS. It is our plan to develop NEIGRIHMS as an institute of national importance.
A key highlight of the new facilities is the virtual autopsy facility at the institute, which is one of the most advanced and sophisticated facilities, available only at a few centres in the country. Virtual autopsy is a non-invasive post-mortem examination that uses medical imaging technology to create a 3D model of the body, which can then be examined by forensic pathologists and other medical professionals.
A 150-bed standalone Critical Care Block facility is being constructed under the Pradhan Mantri – Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) to treat highly contagious infectious diseases, such as COVID-19. This will help ensure that regular hospital care remains unaffected during such outbreaks.
Nagaland
The Union Health Minister also inaugurated Nagaland’s first medical college, the Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (NIMSR), the same day. Dr Mandaviya unveiled the monolith marking the inauguration, in the presence of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy CM TR Zeliang, state ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.
The college has 100 seats – 85 for students of Nagaland and 15 for other states. Addressing the function, Dr Mandaviya said that the first medical college of the state will not only impart medical education but it will also be a research centre.
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoilets are used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
