Demow Model Hospital receives national quality certification for child healthcare

A CORRESPONDENT

DEMOW: At the beginning of 2026, on Bhogali Bihu, in another good news and achievement, the Demow Model Hospital-cum-CHC situated in Raichai Konwar Dehingia became the first rural hospital in the Northeast to be conferred with national quality certification for child healthcare.

Dr Gaurav Choudhary, Child Specialist and Nodal Officer for the ‘Musqan’ initiative, Demow Model Hospital-cum-CHC, informed this correspondent on Wednesday of the landmark achievement for the healthcare sector of Assam. 

The hospital was conferred with the prestigious certificate by the Government of India for its Pediatrics (Child Healthcare) Department. Despite facing numerous infrastructural challenges and resource constraints typical of rural healthcare, the dedicated medical staff at Demow have consistently overcome hurdles to provide exemplary service. This recent accolade follows the hospital’s previous successes in receiving the State Government’s Kayakalp award and the Central Government’s Quality Certification for the Maternity Department.

The certification process reached its peak on December 20, 2025, when two central observers from the Government of India conducted an intensive inspection. From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, the doctors, nurses, and staff underwent a rigorous assessment, akin to a high-stakes viva voce examination. The team’s transparency and dedication resulted in an outstanding score of 90%, leading to the official certification.

The announcement brought tears of joy to the staff on Wednesday, coinciding with the festive season of Bhogali Bihu. The achievement is particularly significant as the visiting observers were known for their strict adherence to protocols and had reportedly never cleared a facility for this certification prior to this visit.

The recognition highlights the hospital’s excellence under the ‘Musqan’ scheme, which aims to provide quality, child-friendly healthcare services in public facilities. The success of the initiative at Demow is largely credited to the leadership of Child Specialist Dr Gaurav Choudhary. 

Speaking on the achievement, Dr Choudhary expressed the team’s collective pride and said, “This recognition is not merely a certificate; it is the fruit of the day-and-night hard work put in by our entire team. Under the guidelines of the ‘Musqan’ scheme, providing a child-friendly and high-quality clinical environment has always been our priority. As the Nodal Officer, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our doctors, nurses, and every staff member whose dedication made this success possible. Our goal remains to provide the best and highest quality health services to every child in the Demow region in the future.”

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