Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, APRIL 7
The first ever AYUSH hospital in the state was inaugurated here today at District Hospital, Dimapur by minister of Health and Family Welfare, Nagaland, P Longon.
According to Dr Atoshe Sema, State Programme Officer, AYUSH, the newly inaugurated 10-bedded Integrated AYUSH Hospital is the only visible infrastructure, besides the Drug Testing Lab, under the National AYUSH Mission in the whole state.
“And though the infrastructures are in place, it is a fact that no manpower placement has been created till date,” Sema said in his report. Currently, the AYUSH division of the state’s Health and Family Welfare department has only six regular AYUSH medical officers.
Sema explained that the department, in order to strengthen the AYUSH programme, has appointed 71 AYUSH doctors on contract and placed them at different PHCs, CHCs and district hospitals under NRHM.
He requested the minister concerned, and the state government, to consider creation of posts and appointment of technical personnel and support staff to help the department deliver the AYUSH system in Nagaland.
Sema also informed that the project, constructed under the centrally sponsored scheme for development of AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries under NRHM, cost Rs 215.90 lakhs.
The state government is yet to pay its share of Rs 38.10 lakhs to the project outlay, he informed. It must be noted that the total amount sanctioned for the project was Rs 254 lakhs with the understanding that the central government would pay 85% of it while the remaining 15% would be from the state government.The health minister P Longon, in his address, recalled how he “accidentally” attended a conference on AYUSH in New Delhi and was left dumfounded when the then Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan asked for his views on AYUSH.
Longon shared that his experience at the conference left him with no doubts that the Central government, more so the BJP, was dead serious on AYUSH. “Even in ancient India, use of traditional medicine was widespread,” he reminded while adding that the main objective of AYUSH was to promote the same traditional medicine and its practices.
“Let us remind ourselves that unlike other states in the country, we have much better advantage for the development of AYUSH system of medicines as we have fresh air, fresh water, less pollution and our soil is rich in medicinal plants and herbs.
“It is cost effective. Therefore, it is very suitable for our state as we are economically poor,” Longon said. AYUSH could provide a significant alternative system of healthcare in Nagaland, which according to the minister, has known only allopathic system of healthcare for the past 50 years or so.
Earlier in the morning, the Health minister also inaugurated the Rs 16 crore worth, State Institute of Health and Family Welfare, located at Chumukedima.
Minister Longon launches Mission Indradhanush
Coinciding with World Health Day, Nagaland Minister for Health and Family Welfare, P. Longon today officially launched Mission Indradhanush, a centrally sponsored health mission, to be undertaken by Directorate of Health and Family Welfare in six districts of Nagaland. The programme provides vaccination against seven life threatening diseases which are diphtheria, whoopping cough, tetanus, olio, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis-B.
Launching the country’s largest health mission for the state as the chief guest during the formal function held at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) here this morning, Longon said the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India launched Mission Indradhanush in December 2014, a special drive to vaccinate all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).
He expressed the hope that the mission would help in immunizing children against the life threatening diseases and make 90% full coverage of children in the country by 2020.
Dwelling on the concept of the mission, Director National Health Mission Dr. Nandira Changkija said initially six districts including Kohima, Dimapur, Wokha, Kiphire, Tuensang and Mon would be covered as these districts have the least number of immunized children. The other districts would also be taken up subsequently, she said.
She said that Nagaland is amongst the least with barely 46% of children receiving all vaccines during their first year of life. She asserted that under the mission, the state would make efforts to cross 90% mark by 2020.
Special Immunization drive will be conducted in these districts on the 7th day of the month for 7 consecutive days which will continue for four months starting from April 7, 2015. Universal immunization of all unreached children under the age of two years will be taken up in the districts under Mission Indradhanush.
Commissioner & Secretary Health & Family Welfare, M. Patton chairing the function pointed that though Nagaland has a small population but it stands amongst the least number of children immunized. Expressing that it probably stands amongst the least immunized category because of varied reasons, he however hoped that with the launch of the mission the rate of imminuzation would increase.
Principal Director Health & Family Welfare Dr. Neiketou Chiesotsu tendered the vote of thanks.
