Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 428/22

NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR TUBERCULOSIS HELD

Member of the Parliament, Lok Sabha Agatha K Sangma distributed Nutritional Food items to TB Patients during National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme for Nutritional Support at District Tuberculosis Hospital, K A Road, West Garo Hills Tura. The programme was organized by District Tuberculosis Office, West Garo Hills District Tura.

Speaking during the brief function, Agatha K Sangma, Lok Sabha MP expressed her appreciation to the Medical Officers and staff for their dedicated service towards the elimination of Tuberculosis in the district in connection with the Government of India initiative to eliminate TB by 2025. She stated that in order to eliminate the disease, support and cooperation of both Medical officers and patients is necessary adding that patients need to take medicine regularly and complete the course and also consume nutritious food and urged the patients to cooperate and help accelerate the Country’s progress towards elimination of TB in the district. She also expressed her appreciation to the testimony of TB Warrior and advised others to endure and bear witness to the success of the elimination programme.

Meanwhile, the District Tuberculosis Officer, Dr. E A Sangma presented the progress report of the Elimination of Tuberculosis in the district as per the directive of the Government of India and informed that the district has achieved 93 percent of the target and that the success rate is 83 percent summing up to one of the Best Performing District in the State. She also mentioned that they visit homes of the patients, organize community awareness programmes in villages including awareness programmes in schools and colleges, etc. She further mentioned the gathering that anyone who has symptoms like cough of any duration, fever, night sweat, loss of appetite can come forward for sputum test or can bring anybody who has these symptoms to TB Hospital and if they are diagnosed with the disease then the person would be awarded with incentive.

Moreover, as part of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, she informed that under the recently launched Union Government’s Nikshay Mitra Scheme, which aims at eradicating tuberculosis in the country by providing free diet or nutrition to such patients. Therefore, few donors namely, Member of the Parliament Agatha K Sangma, Babelapara MDC and Chairman, GDADC, High Powered Committee Rakesh A Sangma, Subir Marak from Garobhada, Manager, State Bank of India, Ampati Branch, Jasmine B A Sangma, Mehtab Chandi A Sangma, Habibuz Zaman, MDC, Akki A Sangma, Marbilline R Sangma, Akhtar Ali, Hope Ladies Engineer Group, Tura have generously donated for 212 TB Patients in West Garo Hills District.

Miss Biginchi Momin, TB Champion also gave her testimony during the function who had gone through such a difficult phase in her life but championed with her patience and determination and is now continuing her studies after two years of treatment.

Joint Director, Health and Family Welfare, Meghalaya, Garo Hills Division, Dr M R Sangma, Senior Medical Officer, TB Hospital Tura Dr Riksilchi M Sangma, staff and patients of District TB Hospital attended the function.

Press Release No. 429/22

CHIEF MINISTER LAYS FOUNDATION STONE FOR UPGRADATION OF BYRNIHAT PHC

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma in presence of MLA, Jirang constituency, Sosthenes Sohtun and MDC Jirang, Victor Ranee, laid the foundation for the upgradation of Byrnihat Primary Health Centre to a Community Health Centre, at a function organised at BSA Playground Lumnongrim Byrnihat, Ri Bhoi District, on Friday. The Byrnihat PHC commenced functioning in the year 1989. An estimated amount of Rs.11 cr will be spent on the upgradation of the PHC which caters to 113 villages.

Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister expressed his happiness that the long pending need of the people of the area could be brought to fruition. He expressed confidence that the upgradation will be able to provide access to better healthcare to the people of the Byrnihat and adjoining areas. The Chief Minister also said that the Government is working with a concerted effort to improve the overall health scenario in the State and further stated that technology and investments in key areas will aid in the Government approach to strengthening healthcare across the State.

During his address the Chief Minister also informed the gathering on the proposed move of the Government to digitise office workflow in hospitals and healthcare facilities. The Chief Minister said that the digitisation will further strengthen efficiency and streamline service delivery in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Ri Bhoi is going to lead the way in the transformation of how health services will be delivered. We are going to digitise the entire patient record and the entire system of services from the CHC level all the way up to the civil hospitals. This is one of a kind project in the region and in the country today. Once the computerised system is implemented it will transform the entire health sector. The use of technology, the use of software and application is going to change the way the health services are delivered to the people, he said.

The Chief Minister further added that the digital database will be an important asset for preventive healthcare. We will be able to use analysis from the digital data to predict diseases and outbreaks that will allow the health department to serve better, in a more efficient way, with the same resources that we have, he added. Speaking at length on the different development projects for Jirang, the Chief Minister also informed that the Patharkhmah Administrative Unit will soon be upgraded to a Civil Sub Division.