To check health sector progress, Arunachal CM sets new standard

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday gave a new standard to measure the progress of the health sector in the state.

Addressing the two-day 11th annual conference of the Arunachal Pradesh Doctors Association (APDA) here on Friday evening, Khandu said, “Increasing the number of doctors or modern health infrastructure should not really be the key to our health. A basis for measuring the status of the sector. Instead, we should measure the progress of our health sector by the number of patients seeking treatment outside the state. The lower the number, the better we have achieved in the health sector.”
He said that the day no one goes out of the state for treatment will be the day the state health department will have achieved its goal.

“Modern infrastructure and equipment and increasing the number of specialists and paramedics will be meaningless if our people continue to prefer hospitals and doctors outside the state for all kinds of treatment,” he pointed out.

However, Khandu admits that this is easier said than done.
He said that the day no one goes out of the state for treatment will be the day the state health department will have achieved its goal.

“Modern infrastructure and equipment and increasing the number of specialists and paramedics will be meaningless if our people continue to prefer hospitals and doctors outside the state for all kinds of treatment,” he pointed out.

However, Khandu admits that this is easier said than done.
“This cannot be achieved overnight. But this should be our vision, our goal when we plan for a better and comprehensive health sector in the state,” he said.
The Chief Minister also raised another important aspect of health. He said that people are unaware of the importance of proper ‘mental health’ and requested the medical community to spread awareness about it.
“Mental health is as important as physical health. Due to fast-track and cut-throat competition in today’s world, apart from various complications of life, people become mentally ill without knowing it. It is a major health concern today,” ‘ They said.

He said that if a person is mentally healthy, he will be physically healthy as well and urged the health experts to focus on this aspect while making the future road map for better health facilities.
Khandu thanked the doctors and other health workers for their dedicated services during the COVID pandemic which saw the state emerge from it successfully.

He said that huge increase in the number of institutional deliveries, rapid reduction in infant mortality rate, hundred percent vaccination campaign for all categories etc. can be achieved only with your dedication and sincerity of duty.
Khandu also lauded the outgoing executive of APDA for launching two awards – Vishist Swasthya Seva Puraskar for Best Doctors and Swastha Seva Puruskar for Paramedics.
He requested the incoming executive members of the association to make the award confirmation an annual event so that a few outstanding doctors and paramedical staff can be honored every year. He said it would be a great tool to boost the morale of medical professionals. The Chief Minister presented the first award to Dr. Tamar Palang, Assistant Professor, Chest Medicine, TRIHMS (Vishist Swasthya Seva Puraskar) and Miss Hano Yakang, Nursing Officer, PHC Deed Neelam, Lower Subansari, Miss Mary Tamat, ANM, Health & Wellness Centre, Sapliang, Anju and Shri Kochada Appal Swamy, Sanitary Assistant, DHS, Naharlagan (Swastha Seva Puruskar).
The program was also attended by Itanagar legislator Techi Kaso and the state health commissioner. Government and private doctors from across the state including many senior and retired doctors are participating in the two-day conference organized at the State Banquet Hall at Niti Vihar here.