DIMAPUR — Chief Secretary of Nagaland, J. Alam said that the state has made a significant growth in the healthcare sector over the years, reflecting the government’s efforts towards Nagaland Sustainable Development Goal Vision 2030, but lamented the existence of unaddressed challenges, especially service delivery, with shortage of trained paramedics creating a barrier for many particularly in the far-flung areas to access quality healthcare.
He said this during the inception programme of North East Regional Multi-Disciplinary Paramedical Institute (NERMPI) at LG Hall in Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR), Chümoukedima, on Saturday.
Speaking on availability of public healthcare providers (MO, specialists, staff nurse and ANM) in district healthcare system, the official said that there should be nine health workers per 10,000 population according to National Health Mission (NHM) but the number still remains at seven in the state.
He stressed the need to address this challenge with urgency by investing in paramedic training programmes, recruit healthcare workers and retention, while pointing out that the biggest task at hand to be prepared for the diseases and healthcare challenges of tomorrow.
On health infrastructure projects
Describing the setting up of NERMPI at CIHSR as a significant milestone in the journey towards providing a comprehensive healthcare service to the people, the CS said the facility is essential to bridge the gap in healthcare resources.
The Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) has recently extended the Official Development Assistance for the establishment of a 400-bedded hospital at Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMSR) in Kohima which will provide tertiary-level medical services to the people of the state, he said, adding that 100 MBBS students have been enrolled in the state’s first medical college and another medical institute would be established in Mon.
These infrastructures, he said, will herald a new era in the development of healthcare system in the state.
He also mentioned the School of Nursing at Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima (NHAK) being upgraded to College of Nursing and the 150-bedded hospital that is being constructed at NIMSR Kohima will soon be converted into Maternity and Child Hospital.
Apart from the infrastructural development, the State is also implementing the Chief Minister's Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) to achieve universal health coverage with a total of 20,97,732 beneficiaries including about 86.73% of the government employees (110,037) enrolled in the State's flagship health insurance scheme as of February 2024, he said.
Alam also unveiled the NERMPI foundation plague and the institute’s magazine.
Expansion plans for CIHSR
Addressing the gathering, Director of CIHSR, Dr. Sedevi Angami said that it is the first Paramedical College of its kind in Nagaland and that a 200-bedded multispecialty NABH/NABL hospital with tertiary care (in some departments) has been established since the hospital was incepted in 2007.
At present, the CIHSR hosts the largest dialysis centre in the region, conducting approximately 1000 haemodialysis per month, and in few years it will be double this capacity, therefore the need to collaborate with various organisations and hospitals across the state to address this significant challenge, said the health official.
He also said that efforts were underway to enhance and upgrade the capabilities of the existing cancer care facility at CIHSR by securing support of the central government through the state government, so that people of the state don’t have to seek cancer care beyond the borders within the next decade.
The doctor went on to say that the CIHSR currently offers six Diplomate of National Board (DNB) postgraduate courses -- Medicine, Family Medicine, Surgery, Anaesthesia, Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) -- affiliated with the National Board of Examination and there are plans to expand courses by establishing a dedicated postgraduate institute.
Dr. B Paul Ravindran Principal of NERMPI delivered the welcome address, while commendations were given away to former Assistant Director, Dr. Jacob Chacko and former principal, Allied Health Sciences, Dr. Simpson Yovan.