IMPHAL, July 29: The State cabinet has already decided to upgrade the Churachandpur District Hospital to a medical college, said Health minister Phungzathang Tonsing after inaugurating two Primary Health sub-Centres at Pearsonmun Village and mata Village in Churachandpur today.
Churachandpur is the second city of Manipur, he said adding that the State cabinet has selected the district for the medical college proposed in a hill district.
Phungzathang said the 100-bedded CCpur hospital was recently upgraded to a 200 bedded hospital.
The State is now considering as to whether expand the hospital by acquiring the nearby area or to shift it to a new site, the Health minister said.
Meanwhile, elaborating about the two sub centres inaugurated today, Phungzathang said the two sub-centres were long established but had not been properly functioning.
Now with the new buildings inaugurated today, the two will start functioning normally from today, he observed.
He also assured that the department will make arrangements to hire grade VI employees starting from today onwards.
Although there are no criteria for posting regular doctors at both the sub-centres, visiting doctors will be made available in the sub-centres, he said.
According to the rule books, there is no provision entitling a doctor in a PHSC, but, he said, he had requested the doctors to atleast visit the PHSCs one or twice a week.
He further urged the nurses and the grade VI staff of the PHSCs to work diligently.
Okram Ibomcha director Health Services and project director, NRHM said there are now 421 PHSCs in the State including the two inaugurated today.
ASHAs and ANM nurses will directly contact people for immunization of pregnant women and children in the PHSCs, he observed.
The PHSC is the grass-root level of the Health sector, but it can be easily upgraded to a CHC if its performance is good, he continued.
Replying to a request of the chief of Mata Village to upgrade the PHSC to a PHC, the minister said it is not that easy to do so, but will certainly make an effort.
Deputy commissioner CCpur Lunminthang Haokip said that the efficiency and dependability of Ccpur in health sector is evident from the fact that many patients continue to arrive in the district from the neighbouring States for treatment.
On the occasion the Minister was accompanied by Director of Health Service Manipur and Director of Family welfare Manipur,and host of newly elected MDC, the SP and DC of Ccpur ,SDO Ccpur, CO of Khuga Battalion,CMO, Med.Supernatant of Ccpur district Hospital.