KOHIMA, Jun 15: P. Nagaland Minister of Health and Family Welfare Paiwang Konyak, urged the World Bank and Development partners to continue to assist Nagaland, particularly in Health Sector, especially in infrastructure in the rural areas.
Speaking on the inaugural of the first ever “Northeast Knowledge Conclave for Health” at Taj, Vivanta, Guwahati on 15 June 2023, the Minister thanked the World Bank for organizing the event.
He stressed the importance of the event to learn from each other and showcase achievements in responding to state-specific health issues and further discussed the health challenges that need to be addressed. He also remarked that Nagaland although being the second oldest State in the Northeast Region next to Assam, lacked infrastructure developments including health care facilities due to the fragile law and order situation in the past.
He, however, said by the grace of God, and with the support of all the stakeholders and under the efficient leadership of our Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of the State, “there is peace in Nagaland for nearly a decade.” He urged the World Bank and Development partners to continue to assist Nagaland, particularly in Health Sector, especially in infrastructure in the rural areas.
Konyak stated that Nagaland Health Project (NHP) was one of the few projects and the first in the NE States on the Health sector funded by the World Bank started in the year 2015 as a pilot in Tuensang & Peren districts and fully scaled up to the remaining districts in 2017. He further lauded the NHP for successfully implementing Community Result Based Financing, improving Health & Nutrition outcomes at the community level, improving service delivery and quality outcome at the CMO & DH, revitalizing gender inclusion through the constitution of women co-chair in all the HCs, knowledge enhancement, awareness generation, sensitization on health & societal issues despite the challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic.
He also highlighted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project provided Oxygen cylinders and Concentrators across the state, constructed oxygen generation Plant houses in eight District hospitals and Installed Oxygen pipelines at various Health facilities. He further pointed out that the availability of finance is a key challenge in facilitating systemic transitions and therefore, the investments made by the World Bank through Nagaland Health Project should be sustained to ensure that the gains made over the years are consolidated.
Y Kikheto Sema, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary, H&FW, speaking on Panel Discussion on Health Priorities in Northeast thanked the Union Government for initiating multiple programs to control various emerging health problems along with the establishment of a new Medical College and up-gradation of a Nursing School to College to start nursing school recently.
Sema highlighted the initiatives taken by the State Government to improve the health scenario in the State like the CMHIS that was launched to promote Universal Health Coverage along with PM-JAY to ensure accessible and affordable health care to all its citizens. He lauded the World Bank for initiating and supporting several Health System Strengthening Projects in the State. The Commissioner stated that the impact on the State’s health scenario has been overwhelmingly positive as a result of all these initiatives, a significant achievement as Nagaland is the best in IMR and MMR in the Country, the best Malaria controlled State in North East Region besides improvement of ICU Bed Infrastructure post-COVID.
Kikheto, however, stressed the challenges of the healthcare system on Drug Addiction, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and mental illness. He assured that Nagaland will end TB by 2025 as committed by our Country, elimination of Malaria by 2025. However, he was skeptical of ending AIDS and HIV by 2030 as Nagaland is the second-highest number of positive cases in the Country. He, however, stated that the State is on a war footing to test, treat, and prevent diseases.
He also stressed Poor Health Infrastructure in the rural areas and urged the GoI and the World Bank and other banks to continue supporting the North East States particularly Nagaland as we failed to avail the EAP like other States.
The event was addressed by Minister H&FW, Assam, Keshab Mahanta, Minister H&FW, Nagaland, P. Paiwang Konyak, and three Health Secretaries of NER States including, Y. Kikheto Sema I.A.S. beside Country Director India, World Bank, Auguste Tano, and other resource persons.