Nagaland’s health progress highlighted at ‘Vartalap’ workshop

DIMAPUR — Providing a review of Nagaland's health sector initiatives, Dr. Khelito Zhimomi, Joint Director of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, on July 19 highlighted progress, ongoing challenges, and the impact of flagship health programmes and digital infrastructure during a one-day media workshop held at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur.

The workshop ‘Vartalap’ on the theme ‘11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government’ was organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Kohima.

Dr Zhimomi highlighted the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), health and wellness centres (HWCs), malaria and TB elimination efforts, and the state’s participation in the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

Mentioning that AB PM-JAY provides INR 5 lakh health insurance per family annually for secondary and tertiary hospital care, she said that the scheme targets 3,96,002 households (as per Census 2011), including 2,44,898 PM-JAY households, 12,333 Missing Middle, and 97,125 government employees and pensioners.

However, challenges such as low Aadhaar saturation, poor internet connectivity, and low turnout at enrolment stations were noted, along with delays in district-level verifications.

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She also cited that a total of 484 HWCs have been operationalised in Nagaland, which includes 338 (318+20) HWC-SCs, 49 AYUSH HWCs, and 97 primary health centres (PHCs), while 44 Urban HWCs are yet to be made functional.

These HWCs provide 12 expanded package services, including TB and mental health, and also provide 10–12 free diagnostic tests in SCs and 35–40 diagnostic tests in PHCs.

Talking about malaria remaining a concern in tribal and remote regions, she noted that the state has made significant strides, with zero malaria deaths reported since 2017 and being felicitated as Best Performing State on World Malaria Day 2022.

She said that aligned with India’s End TB Strategy, Nagaland has reduced its TB incidence from 236 (2015) to 196 (2023) – a 17% decline. In Nagaland, the TB cases notified in 2024 were 82% against the allotted target of 5,000. This also translates to a notification rate of about 194 per lakh population (active TB cases were 4,174) during the year 2024.