Workshop on strengthening health system underway in Nagaland

A two-day training workshop — ‘Nagaland Immersion’ — for senior health officials of the state, focused on strengthening health system through capacity building, got underway in Kohima on Tuesday.

Conducted by ECHO India in partnership with National Health Mission (NHM) Nagaland, the workshop aims at training the state’s health officials for effective implementation of ECHO’S ‘All teach all learn’ model of capacity building to further strengthen the state’s health system.

Commissioner and Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Y Kikheto Sema, in his inaugural address said that Nagaland has a small population, but when it comes to the health sector, a lot needs to be done because of the state’s geographical and topographical conditions.

He said the state government’s vision is to provide equitable, affordable, and speedy healthcare services to all its citizens.

Citing the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) launched in 202, and the recent health projects launched across the state, including 10-bedded ICU and Mother Labour Room projects, he said the state health sector is heading towards a “brighter side”. He added that in the past, serious patients from various districts, who required ICU, oxygen and X-ray services, used to come from to Kohima and Dimapur to avail it.

He requested church members to create awareness on the health schemes offered by the government, saying that churches are the “strongest organisations”.

Sema further urged all the medical officers and health workers to work hard, saying that there is a huge challenge ahead.

Mission Director of NHM, Nagaland, Dr. Ritu Thurr, informed that NHM Nagaland had signed an MoU with ECHO India a few years ago and had successfully initiated TB programme.

This was followed by immunisation and Nursing Council of Nagaland.

Through the partnership, NHM also conducted virtual training in different capacities during the COVID-19 pandemic and over 300 frontline workers from across the state were trained.

He also stated that ECHO has initiated CHO training on immunisation with different models.

Associate Vice President of Projects at ECHO India, Dr. Sandeep Bhalla, said the partnership with NHM Nagaland aims at strengthening the state’s health system. The other healthcare partners in the state include the State TB Cell (STC) and the Nagaland Nursing Council.

In Nagaland, ECHO India has already established two telementoring hubs and partnered with the state’s NHM, State Tuberculosis Cell (STC) Kohima, and the Nagaland Nursing Council, with an aim to build the capacities of healthcare workers in primary and tertiary care centres.

The ongoing partnerships cover various focus areas such as tuberculosis, COVID-19 vaccination advocacy, and mentoring nursing staff for better patient care, it was informed.