By: Rinku Khumukcham
Grant-in-aids under for implementation of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness turns as flop show in Manipur as State health Mission fails to produce utilization certificate. Around rupees 50 lakhs sanctioned under the National Rural Health Mission for implementation of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness is feared to be cancelled following the failure of the state Health Mission Society to produce utilization certificate.
The National programme for prevention and control of Deafness is taken up across the nation in 41 districts of the country to impart and provide hearing aids facilities to the persons with disability of hearing capabilities. Among the 41 district selected for implementation of the programme 4 are from the state of Manipur. An order of the State Health Mission had started implementing the programme in 2009 however, discontinued failing to provide any utilization certificate for implementation of the programme for the year 2010-11.
During the year 2010-11, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had sanctioned an amount of Rs. 2,30,000/- for procurement of Primary Health Centers Kit under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness. During the said year a sum of Rs. 19,20,000/- had been sanctioned by the same ministry under the same programme for propose of Capacity Building of District hospitals, Community Health Centers and Primary Health Centers. For purpose of contingencies of nodal offices under the programme a sum of Rupees 10,000/- had been sanctioned and a sum of Rs. 2,43,300/- had been sanctioned for distributions of hearing aids to the needy. The Ministry of Family Welfare had again sanctioned an amount of Rs. 22,12,000/- for purpose of Capacity building of District Hospitals, Community Health Centers and Primary Health Center. However, except for a total of Rs. 11,66,500/- under the grant –in-aid provided for capacity building, the State health Mission society has failed to provide utilization certificates for any of the grant sanction under the National Programme for prevention and control of deafness.
According to source – as the State Health Mission had failed to provide the utilization certificate for the purposes the grant in aid for continuation of project is likely to be halt. The source further the main reason for failure to implement the project is due to the negligence of the State Health Mission authorities holding the top post. On further inquiry it is also find out that there are no staffs which were appointed for the purposes. The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness has been implemented in the state under the directives of the central government during 2008. Out of the 41 districts of the country selected for implementation of the project, the Director General of Health Services of the Union government had included for in Manipur namely – Imphal West, Ukhrul, Chrachandpur and Senapati districts. According to a directive of the Director General, the state health Mission had appointed 4 Audiometric Assistants in the district hospitals of the said districts on February 25, 2009. The Nodal office for Imphal West has been attached with the JN Hospital. However, it has been learnt that the staffs appointed for the project have been discontinued without giving any specific reason. With the failure in the implementation of the project various people with disability in hearing of the state have been deprived of the state government aids.
