DIMAPUR: Health minister, P Paiwang Konyak, has sought continuous assistance from the ministry of Health and Family Welfare, government of India, as Nagaland is set to start the first academic session of Nagaland Institute of Medical Science and Research (NIMSR) from the current year 2023-24.
Paiwang, accompanied by the commissioner and secretary of Health department, Y Kikheto Sema, made this appealed during their meeting with V Hekali Zhimomi, additional secretary and director general of NACO, ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in Delhi on Wednesday. A DIPR report stated that they have discussed on various issues pertaining to medical college, HIV & AIDS, nursing college and tobacco control.
The minister has thanked the ministry of Health and Family Welfare and National Medical Council (NMC) for granting letter of permit (LOP) for the NIMSR, Kohima. He has sought continuous support from the centre as the state is set to start the first academic session from the current year 2023-24.
Regarding the Mon Medical College, Konyak requested the ministry to consider it as regional institute under the centre government as there is no institute of national or regional repute in Nagaland.
Konyak also thanked the ministry for approving to upgrade three nursing schools to nursing colleges at the District Hospital of Dimapur, Kohima, and Mokokchung. He has further requested to provide more nursing colleges in the state under PPP mode.
Meanwhile, Kikheto has appreciated the ministry for providing all assistance in the control of HIV & AIDS and stated that Nagaland being the 2nd highest HIV&AIDS prevalent in the country, the state is taking seriously to test, treat, and create massive awareness campaign involving all stakeholders including NGOs and churches. He informed that the state has taken a new initiative in coordination with the state GIS cell to use drones for timely delivery of drugs and equipment. He, therefore, requested the ministry to sanction for procurement of drones under the new innovative scheme.
Kikheto also stated that Nagaland being the 2nd highest consumption of tobacco and its related product in the country, the state had recently declared tobacco-free zone in all the government and private hospitals and schools in the state.
Report stated that Hekali Zhimomi has appreciated the initiatives taken by the state in recent days regarding the awareness of AIDS and HIV and suggested increasing the surveillance, treatment, and preventive measures, which would be supported by the ministry.
She also appreciated the initiative taken on awareness of tobacco and declaring the tobacco-free zone in health institutions and schools. She has suggested collaborating with NGOs, who are in the field, to achieve its desired goal.
She further opined that there are a lot of avenues in the nursing sector and encouraged the state to start the three nursing colleges at the earliest.
