Mizoram unveils Rs. 133 Cr health care scheme

 Unveiling an ambitious and futuristic plan to upgrade health care facilities in remote and backward areas of Mizoram, the State Government has sought Rs. 133.33 crore from the Centre’s non-lapsable pool of resources for execution of the scheme. Mizoram Health Minister F. Malsawma recently said that the funds would be utilised to set up new hospitals in towns and rural centres adding that medical facilities at the existing hospitals would also be improved. He also said Union Health Minister Dr. C. P. Thakur would visit the State shortly.

 The State Health Minister further said that the North Eastern Council (NEC) had already asked the Planning Commission for additional funds of Rs. seven crore to help the hospitals buy State-of-art medical gadgets and ancillaries. He said that the Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation (I) at Noida in Uttar Pradesh has been selected as consultant for the construction. The Minister said 40 beds would be provided to the hospitals in the first phase of the scheme. However, the government plans to increase the number of beds to 500 in phases and upgrade the hospital to a post-graduate teaching college and hospital for students of the region.

 Notably, the schemes under Rs. 133.37 crore plan for the State include among others construction of an out patient department block at the civil hospital in Aizawl and setting up of 100-bed hospital at small towns like Kolasib and Champhai and 50-bed hospital in Serchhip, Tlabung, Bairabi, Lawngtiai and Chawngte. Futher, six-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Aizawl Civil Hospital, the first of its kind in the sprawling State would also be set up. Sources said even after 55 years of Independence, medical facilities in Mizoram continue to remain rudimentary with 1,444 beds at the different hospitals  and 400 doctors serving eight lakh people.

 Meanwhile, the Centre has alerted the State Government against AIDS menace, which is all set to assume alarming proportions in Mizoram. The State has already been notified a ‘Red Area’ for the dreaded diseases, mainly caused by sexual contact. Drug addicts also risk contracting AIDS by using the syringe of inflicted persons. Significantly, the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) would organise a workshop for health department officials and State-level Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) of the North-East in Aizawl to chart out measures to control the disease.

 In a latest development, the Government of Mizoram has agreed that barring construction of the main building in the ongoing construction of the State Referral Hospital at Falkawn, the contractors should be allowed to carry on their constructional activities. The decision was taken at the review meeting of the Referral Hospital Coordination Committee (RHCC) held in Aizawl with State Health Minister F. Malsawma in the chair.
                       
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