IMPHAL, July 27: Health minister Phungzathang Tonsing today inaugurated the 24×7 Nongpok Sekmai Primary Health Centre building.
Speaking on the occasion, Phungzathang said the PHC was not inaugurated for long as the land transfer for the PHC was yet to be completed.
Now that the process is complete, the PHC is being inaugurated with 24×7 open services, he asserted.
Five doctors aided by sufficient number of nurses will attend the PHC starting today, the Health minister continued.
Since the department has already scrapped direct recruitment of grade IV employees after proper consultation with the Chief Minister, the department has decided to hire attendants on daily-wage basis, he stated.
In order to facilitate the 24×7 opening of the PHC, we are outsourcing grade IV employees, he said.
The minister also informed that the nearby residents can provide van services s 24×7 ambulance starting today.
He said the lack of special doctors in the State would be somehow lessened as more than 168 post graduate doctors will be passing next year.
The minister also appealed to the doctors and nurses to maintain proper dress code while attending to their duties.
The PHC has child delivery facilities but lacks a baby warmer which will be provided soon, he said.
The PHC, he said has only two beds at the moment and two more will be added soon. Construction of the AYUSH building will soon be completed within this year, he informed.
Meanwhile, Andro MLA Th Shyamkumar said that the AYUSH building was earlier constructed by the Manipur Development Society, MDS but it collapsed during a cyclone.
Now, the MDS has agreed to provide some fund to reconstruct the building with more fund from the MLA Local Area Fund.
He further asserted that it is the responsibility of the people of the surrounding villages to provide security and support to the PHC and its staff and protect them from any pressure.
People must also clean-up the surrounding campus to ensure a good environment in the hospital, he said appealing further that in case the public started to keep their responsibilities, the government will soon follow suit and may even upgrade the PHC to a CHC.
There is also a need to spread awareness on issues including those of pregnancy in the health sector, he said.
The MLA also declared that he will personally meet all pressure for financial demand made to the PHC and its staff.
Director Health Family Welfare Mission Director O Ibomcha said that PHC is not only first aids centre. Now it is a 24×7 PHC with delivery facility. And it needs portable X-ray machine, Ultra-sound, laboratory testing labs, and other facilities, he said.
Since the PHC will run 24×7, it will need an ambulance, he said appealing to the people to provide a private van for the purpose for which the department will provide rental fee.
The ambulance which will be fitted with the GPS will be available for day and night service of transferring patients and will be available at the hotline of 102 for emergency cases, he observed.