[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s per reports in the media in general, the Centre has asked North-East States to strengthen health services under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and scale up the performance of programmes in the States.
NRHM which was launched in Nagaland in 2003 still has so many shortcomings and so, to say that it has still a long way to go is an understatement. This has been highlighted by the fact that the Union Health Ministry reviewed the performances of the schemes in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura and of course, late comer into this political arena, Sikkim.Based on the guidelines of the national NRHM the States have been directed to ensure availability of diagnostic services even after routine hours. This would strengthen the referral transport (RT) system. The Centre has also directed that it cannot alter the delivery points frequently. Indirectly indicating another shortcoming, the Union Ministry recommended that scaling up performance for handing out entitlements of free drugs, free diagnostics, free RT (from home to facility and back). This is for sick neonates and infants up to one year.
It has also suggested that technicians working under different schemes should be used comprehensively so that lab facilities are available all the time up in health care facilities up to community health centres. As an alternative, the ministry has also mooted public private partnership (PPP) to ensure
All the eight States have also been advised to go in for latest design regarding National Ambulance Services and reconsider deployment of national ambulance services. From this, expected number of anti-natal and post-natal care per day block-wise under mother and child tracking system can be surveyed.
The States will also have to provide availability of testing facility at sub-centres for monitoring severe anaemia which is quite common in the region. At the moment a healthy lifestyle or access to good health care is a dream for the general bulk of the population. Peer education on healthy practices is as urgent a need as a good hospital in the village.
