Pema Khandu seeks stronger healthcare service

From Our Correspondent 

Itagar, July 8: Aruchal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has called for a strong monitoring system and change in work culture to efficiently render health services in the state.

Chairing the State Health Mission (SHM) meeting for the first time here on Friday, Khandu said that the health service scerio in the state had improved over the years but has a lot of catching up to do. He emphasised on criteria and need-based ratiolization in posting and transfers of health professiols.

For actual service delivery at the ground level, he requested the health department and the SHM to put in place a strong mechanism for monitoring and making officials accountable, an official report said here on Saturday.

Khandu expressed concern over the deteriorating work culture amongst government officials, which had become the major stumbling stone in the health delivery system and urged officials to tighten up their belts or face consequences.

The chief minister also called for convergence of schemes under the tiol Health Mission (NHM) with welfare schemes of other departments such as Public Health Engineering and Water Supply and Women and Child Development. He directed the NHM officials to coordite with the officials of these departments and work together for successful implementation of health related schemes especially in rural areas.

“NHM schemes can be successfully implemented in villages with proper coordition between agencies like ASHA and Anganwadi workers,” he said.

On being informed that release of funds has been an issue in taking up projects and implementing schemes, the chief minister said that the Fince Department had been streamlined and its working style had been revamped to avoid delay in release of funds.

For impartial transfer and posting as well as promotions of officials, Khandu advised the department to properly study individual cases so that nobody is denied or deprived of their rights as per norms. Seniority of an employee has to be always taken into consideration to keep up their morale, he said.

“The government is doing and will always do everything for its employees. Now it is for the employees to reciprocate the good gestures and give their best in delivering services to the people,” he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Chow Mein advised the SHM to create awareness about the central schemes under NHM, particularly among the legislators so that they can educate their people in their respective constituencies.

Reiterating that the state government has adopted a zero tolerance policy for health services, Mein said this would be possible only through a strong political will. He suggested a meeting of the elected members of the state and coming to a consensus on it. 

The deputy chief minister asserted that the government had given top priority to the health sector in this year’s budget and would continue to do so. He requested the department to prepare a comprehensive proposal in consultation with the Fince Commissioner for inclusion in the next budget.

PHE and WS Minister Bamang Felix suggested proper coordition between the health department and PHED as the most common ailments are water-borne. He requested the department to provide a data of water-borne diseases specific to districts or divisions so that his department could take up potable water supply projects for treatment and distribution.

“The state government has taken a stand to provide treated potable water to every household of the state by 2021 and the health department has to contribute for its success,” he said.

Felix, also the minister in-charge of IPR and Printing, called for focusing on the IEC (Information, Education and Communication) aspect of the health mission and offered IPR’s service for it.

Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Alo Libang too felt that awareness has to be created about the numerous schemes being implemented under NHM, especially among the legislators.

He also suggested taking into confidence the local legislator while implementing schemes at the grassroots level as they will best know the local issues and can provide logistical support for successful implementation, the report added.