50 more MBBS seats in NEIGRIHMS: Union MoS Health

Shillong: The Centre has decided to increase 50 more MBBS seats in the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) here, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said here.

Pawar said the Centre will provide all necessary support to Meghalaya for setting up its own medical colleges.

"We are going to increase 50 more seats from next year so it will then be 100 seats in NEIGRIHMS," the Union Minister told PTI on Thursday night.

The Centre has been focusing on strengthening the tertiary care including primary and secondary as the Prime Minister's vision is to strengthen the healthcare system through central government schemes, the Union minister said.

Pawar said the Centre is providing a different budget altogether to strengthen NEIGRIHMS.

"Last year, the budget was Rs 480 crore and this year, the budget is Rs 528 crore. So we are constantly increasing (the budget)," she said, lauding the achievements of the NEIGRIHMS which include the radiotherapy treatment.

Asked if the Centre will support Meghalaya to have its own medical colleges, the Union Minister of State for Health said, "government is definitely going to support and we are also strengthening NEIGRIHMS. We will also provide support for the next medical college."

Also reviewing the implementation of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Meghalaya, Pawar said the Central government has sanctioned approximately Rs 600 crore budget this year on a 90;10 pattern of funding.

For strengthening the sub-centres and health and wellness centres, she said that the Central government is allocating Rs 150 crore for Meghalaya under the 15th Finance budget.

"... we must prepare for next pandemic. As envisioned by the PM, we must focus on preparedness and prevention and be ready for the next pandemic," she said.

The Union Minister of State for Health said said about Rs 64,000 budget has been sanctioned under the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission for the entire country and in Meghalaya the budget is Rs 150 crore for the next four years.

"Right now in Meghalaya, nearly 470 health and wellness centres are functional. Health wellness centre is a  centre where we are focusing more on screening as well as treatment also. We are doing primary screening of hypertension and to detect diabetes and to focus on cancer and we are doing cancer screening like oral cancer, cervical cancer," she said.

Pawar said that over 5 lakh Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) IDs have been issued to patients. She also congratulated the Meghalaya government for its initiative with regard to teleconsultation and said, "Nearly one lakh teleconsultation have been done. This is a great achievement."

She also lauded the state government's effort in reducing the maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate.

"I thank the CM for taking the health initiatives. The PM is also focusing and supporting the NE states so will take the review," she said.