Centre to assist North Eastern states to improve health services

New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today lamented the lack of infrastructure in the health sector in the North Eastern states and assured all possible help to the state governments to improve health services in the region.

Addressing the second review meeting of the North Eastern States here today, Dr Ramadoss said the UPA government was committed to improving the health conditions and services in the region which had remained neglected for several decades. He asked the Health Ministers of the eight states of the region to draw up future plans to improve health services so that they become a model for the country.

Asserting that there was no lack of finances for the health sector for the region, he insisted that ''the money should be spent productively.'' Announcing several initiatives taken by the Centre, he said results of them would be available by 2009.

''I expect dramatic results, particularly in the field of child mortality rates, tuberculosis and malaria. The morbidity and mortality due to them will come down substantially.'' The Health Minister pointed out presently malaria was the single major cause of mortality in the region.

Deliberating on the lack of trained health professionals in the region, Dr Ramadoss said there was ample scope of settng up nursing colleges in the region and if the state governments took the initiative, the Centre would help them set up international level nursing colleges and training centres, but the former have to ensure procuring quality faculty members.

''The Centre can also assist the states of the region in training manpower, but they have to guarantee that the trained persons will remain committed to serving the people of the region,'' he added.

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