Dimapur, March 26 (EMN): Directorate of Health and Family Welfare department today conferred the Kayaykalp award for the year 2019-2020 during a programme held at Kohima on March 26 with the health minister, S Pangnyu Phom, as the special guest.
In his opening remark, the principal secretary of Health and Family Welfare department, Amardeep S Bhatia, stated that Kayakalp was introduced by the Prime Minister in 2014 and launched on a national level by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on May 15, 2015. He also stated that Kayakalp, which means rejuvenation, was an initiative to promote cleanliness, hygiene and infection control practices in public healthcare facilities.
He added that the goal of Kayakalp was to incentivise and recognise public healthcare facilities that show exemplary performance in adhering to standard protocols of cleanliness and infection control. He further congratulated the award winners and he urged them to set high standards for other facilities to compete in future.
The NHM deputy director, Dr. Manyau Phom, while highlighting the programme, mentioned that although the external assessment was completed by 2nd week of March 2020, the award function could not be held in time due the pandemic. He added that Nagaland undertook the assessment of healthcare facilities for the Kayakalp award basing on the norms and guidelines provided by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
He further stated Kayakalp could play a pivotal role in reinstating and reconfirming the trust and confidence of the community in public healthcare facilities.
Also speaking on the occasion, the Health minister S Pangnyu Phom stated that Kayakalp schemes are to encourage and incentivise public healthcare facilities. He added that the awards are meant for hospitals with the highest standards of sanitation, hygiene and quality of healthcare services.
Phom remarked that there has been a phenomenal transformation in many hospitals particularly those hospitals which won the Kayakalp awards in the last few years. While reiterating on teamwork, he stated that to receive the Kayakalp award, nurses and doctors alone cannot do without the contributions of 4th grade staff.
He further assured continued support to build a stronger, skilled and equipped healthcare workers to provide quality and accessible healthcare services and to build a resilient healthcare system in the state.
