IMPHAL, December 5: Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh maintained that the health sector tops the State government’s priority list, and that Manipur has its goal to serve in this sector to the neighbouring country.
The Chief Minister stated this during the inaugural function of XXII East Zone PEDICON 2015 & XIX MANIPEDICON 2015 under the theme ‘Holistic Approach to Child Care: Advancing Forward’held at City Convention Centre organized by the East Zone Academy of Paediatrics.
Ibobi further said that State government has also given top priority to health sector in terms of manpower and infrastructure. The government has recruited specialist doctors and other supporting medical staffs to extend health facilities to all districts and the remotest corner of the State.
He further said that the Infant Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Rate of Manipur is 10 per 1000 live births and 60 per every one lakh live births. The State has achieved this feat consecutively for last three years, the Chief Minister added.
Moreover, Manipur has also received awards from the Times Group of news agencies for best performing State in Health Sector in the small State category, for this the credit goes to all doctors’ fraternity and other supporting staffs, he said.
He appreciated that the association has brought together leading specialist from public and private organizations to share knowledge and skills with an objective to provide quality healthcare in the country especially in child care.
Indeed this conference is an opportunity to take stock and to see where you have been and to plan where you must go and the outcome of this deliberation will inform the policy framework development of the country, he said.
Children are not miniature adults, they are different in hysiological, physical, emotional and social aspects from the adults, the Chief Minister observed.
Therefore while caring for a child we should not address only the physical illness but the whole aspects of the developing child to make him a responsible ·person in future. Indeed in many cases we have to take a 360 degree look while caring a child, he said.
He opined that the conference will provide a platform for the exchange of fast developing medical knowledge in child care including a wide array of Continuing Medical Education, guest lecture, orations, award sessions etc and also cultural and emotional exchanges among the paediatricians of East Zone comprising of 12 States (Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam and North Eastern States).
The government is looking some serious issues that are facing in the field of health services especially in women and child health care, he said and added that India is becoming an important centre in the aspect of Health Tourism and Manipur has its goal to serve in medical sector to the neighboring country.
He urged the medical fraternity and other leaders in health industry to emphasize with the ailing patients and their anxious parties while discharging their valuable services and to keep up the spirit of humanity and kindness which are true traits of healer.
Organizing chairperson of the conference, Dr Shyamkuamr Laishram said the care to child and mother is very much need for the stronger future. Under this to enhancement the conference is being organizing along with several pediatricians from various part of the country.