CM pledges qualitative reforms in health sector

Guwahati, July 11 (UNI) Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has admitted that the state was lacking in the health sector and pledged to bring about qualitative changes.

This was informed by the chief minister to the state Assembly.

Mr Gogoi identified financial constraints and reluctance of doctors and trained medical staff to serve in rural areas as major handicaps faced by his government.

The Chief Minister informed that Rs 966 crore had been granted by the 12th Finance Commission for improving the health sector in Asom and 69 Community Health Centres (CHCs) would be upgraded with an investment of Rs 40 lakh each.

He pointed out that the National Rural Health Mission(NHRM), with its mission to aid in preventive and curative healthcare, had already been implemented in the state.

The Mission's various programmes include disease control aimed at malaria, cataract blindness, tuberculosis, leprosy and goitre. The mission also contains a programme of upgrading the Primary Health Centres and CHCs in terms of using state-of-the-art equipment.

Mr Gogoi maintained that the Pulse Polio Immunization Programme under the NRHM had been a success.

He further informed that the infant mortality rate had been lowered to 67 in 2003 from 76 in 1999.

''The government will provide incentive of Rs 700 per delivery in rural areas and Rs 500 in urban areas to encourage institutional deliveries. Mobile medical units will also be provided in each district to extend the health services in the interior areas,'' he added.

Mr Gogoi informed that a task force had been formed to study the existing flaws and suggest ways for controlling the spread of malaria. These include programme implementation, manpower deployment, availability of drugs and consumables, he added.

The Chief Minister said the government had initiated steps for improving the standard of medical education in the three existing medical colleges in the state.

Work for setting up three new medical colleges at Jorhat, Tezpur and Barpeta was progressing well, he informed, adding that another would be opened at Kokrajhar.

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