'Poor' health index of Darrang leaves State NHM MD worried

MANGALDAI, Oct 28: Maging Director of tiol Health Mission (NHM), Assam, JVN Subramanyam has reportedly expressed grave concern over the poor state of healthcare services in Darrang district involving NHM staff in majority of them even though sufficient staff have been appointed under NHM from grassroots level to the district level, thereby affecting the overall health index of the district.

He visited the district recently to review the functioning of  various ongoing  healthcare schemes under NHM and expressed his serious concern over poor performance in different subjects, including institutiol delivery, night caesarian in government health institutions, Materl Mortality Rate (MMR), maintaining quality health and hygiene and mobilizing ASHA workers. He directed the NHM officials and staff of the district to improve their performance within next 15 days to be followed with evaluation by the Deputy Commissioner. The MD also issued warning of necessary departmental action against each and every staff found performing poorly in the evaluation.

He was addressing a review meeting of  performance at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s office that day which was presided over by Deputy Commissioner  Ashok Kr Barman and attended by Additiol Deputy Commissioner (Health) Bidyut Bikash Bhagawati and senior officials of the district NHM and health department . This was stated by a senior official in the district administration.

The meeting also discussed several issues relevant to improve the quality healthcare service in the district, including  quick functioning of the 100-bedded Materl and Child Health Hospital under Mangaldai Civil Hospital which has been lying abandoned since its completion in February, 2016, addressing the long-standing demand of setting up a modern audiometric centre  for screening of deafness of children under Early Identification and Early Intervention for Children programme , prescribing medicines available in the health centres with  generic me instead of brand me, shortage of doctors and nursing staff in Mangaldai Civil Hospital and attachment of a Senior Medical Officer of Pathorighat PHC in Mangaldai as DSO under IDSP for several years, thereby depriving the patients of the locality from service of a senior doctor.

Earlier on the day, the team of senior health officials, including Dr Achyut  Baisya, Executive Director, NHM, Assam visited Sipajhar and Kharupetia PHCs, Mangaldai Civil Hospital and the 100-bedded Materl and Child Health Hospital but they were said to be dissatisfied with the health and hygiene of the surrounding environment of the two mentioned PHCs,  the source added.