Rural health mission launched in Manipur

Imphal, Aug 11 (UNI) : Under the rural health mission under the central government, 14 Community Health Centres in Manipur were to be upgraded at the Indian Public Health Standard levels.

The Centres are at Sagolmang, Awang Sekmai, Wangoi, Jiribam, Nambol, Moirang, Kamjong, Nungba, Parbung, Kangpokpi, Mao, Kakching, Heirok and Yairipok, Manipur Information Centre informed. Thirty six Primary Health Centres in the State will be upgraded as 24x7 Centres. Ten of these Centres are to be upgraded in the current year 2006-07.

Under this Mission, 3000 Accredited Social Hard Activists (ASHA) who will work as village level link worker will be appointed.

Mobile Medical Units will also be opened at every district to improve access to health care services and to make health care services available in underserved areas.

The review meeting of the National Rural Health Mission on the status of implementation in the North East States was held recently at New Delhi it was added. The meeting was chaired by the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and all the Mission Directors of the State Rural Health Missions of the North Eastern States attended in the meeting.

In the meeting, the Manipur, Director of Family Welfare Dr. W.

Raghunath who was also the Mission Director of Manipur stated that the Manipur State Rural Health Mission was set up in the State in November 2005 and the District Level Health Missions of Tamenglong, Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts had been registered. The Joint Secretary of the Ministry had instructed to the Mission Directors to prepare their State and District Plans and submit it without delay to the Ministry.

Access to health care and equitable distribution of health services are the fundamental requirements of achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the goals set under the National Rural Health Mission launched by the Government of India in April 2005. Taking health care to the doorstep is the principle behind this initiative and intended to reach underserved areas, officials added.

For effective functioning of the Manipur State Rural Health Mission which aims at offering health care services at the doorstep of the people, there is a Steering committee headed by the Chief Minister of Manipur; a Governing Body headed by the Chief Secretary, Manipur; and an Executive Committee headed by the Commissioner or Secretary in charge of Health, Government of Manipur. At the District level, Deputy Commissioners concerned are the Heads of the Mission UNI NS KK KLC1436