Must strengthen healthcare to ensure resilience in face of pandemic: Mandaviya

 GUWAHATI: “We must continuously strive to strengthen our healthcare systems to ensure their resilience in the face of a pandemic and harness their ability to provide affordability and accessibility of healthcare services in the innermost areas of the nation.” This was stated by the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, as he laid the foundation stone and inaugurated various health infrastructure projects under Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), National Health Mission (NHM), and XV Finance Commission Health Grants today in the presence of Shri. Keshab Mahanta, State Health Minister, Assam, in Guwahati, Assam, and delivered a keynote address on Transformation of Healthcare in Amrit Kaal while chairing the Amrit Kaal Vimarsh Viksit Bharat @2047, Development Dialogue today. Rameshwar Teli, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Labour, and Employment, joined the event in virtual mode.

Reiterating the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Health Minister stated, “A healthy society builds a healthy nation, which lays the foundation for a prosperous country. India is striving towards developing a substantial ecosystem that imbibes excellence and harnesses the potential of its manpower to build healthcare systems with the fortitude to tackle any health emergency that comes up. He further added that such relentless pursuit led to the inception of PM-ABHIM. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Mandaviya lauded the healthcare development initiatives in Assam and stated, “We need to make healthcare affordable and accessible through the holistic development of robust healthcare infrastructure while prioritising research and development and initiatives such as Heal in India and Heal by India”.

Underscoring the need to synergize and work in unison, the Union Minister stated that “healthcare infrastructure should consolidate integration at block, district, and regional levels to monitor surveillance of any new variant or disease entering our nation.” Dr. Mandaviya commemorated the initiatives undertaken in Assam, applauding the growth of medical, dental, and nursing colleges. He stated, “This ceremony will mark a crucial milestone in the ongoing efforts of the government towards strengthening our healthcare infrastructure and ensuring that quality healthcare reaches every citizen of our nation, even in the most critical times.”

The list of projects is provided below:

Foundation stone laying for

1. 50-Bedded Critical Care Block at Lakhimpur Medical College under PM-ABHIM

2. Block Primary Health Unit at Baithalangso BPHC under PM-ABHIM

3. Block Primary Health Unit at Harinagar BPHC under PM-ABHIM

4. Block Primary Health Unit at North Guwahati PHC under PM-ABHIM

5. Block Primary Health Unit at Saphekhati BPHC under PM-ABHIM

6. Block Primary Health Unit at Suakuchi BPHC under PM-ABHIM

7. Integrated Public Health Laboratory at Jakhalabandha SDHC under PM-ABHIM

8. Sasoni Community Health Centre under XV-FC Health Grants

Inauguration of Projects:

1. Upgrade of Bhetagaon CHC to Bijni SDCH

2. Community Health Centre and Residential Quarters at Chenga, Barpeta District

3. Upgradation of 100-Bedded RNB Gossaiagaon SDCH

4. Community Health Centre and Residential Quarters at Nityanandpur, Hailakandi District

5. Community Health Centre and Residential Quarters at Haluwating, Sivasagar District

6. Community Health Centre and Residential Quarters at Nasatra, Barpeta District

7. Upgrade of Tamulpur BPHC to SDCH

8. Strengthening of Titabor SDCH

Emphasising the uniqueness of India’s healthcare system, Dr. Mandaviya stated that “India has its own model of health that is congruent to its needs, strengths, and abilities.” He further added that, differing from other nations, India has a four-tier healthcare system that functions from grassroots to primary to secondary to tertiary, with institutes such as 1,66,000 Health and Wellness Centres spread across rural and urban areas. They host a breadth of healthcare services themselves and also serve to connect the underserved with secondary and tertiary-level consultations at their respective locations, saving patients’ time and money and providing services and care with ease at affordable rates.

The Union Health Minister highlighted the government’s commitment and resolve to empower the youth and urged them to leverage existing grants and schemes to innovate and add their contribution to building a healthier nation. He further added that India’s vision of healthcare services extends to opportunities across the world wherein the skilled health workforce of the nation can easily pursue global opportunities, citing the example of medical colleges in Assam teaching Japanese language to facilitate placement of Indian medical workforce abroad.

Dr. Mandaviya also engaged in a vibrant Q&A session with the audience towards the end of the session. (PIB)

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