NE Health Knowledge Mission is an Urgent Need
- Part 2 -
G S Oinam *
State of Health in North Eastern States
North eastern states comprising of 8 (eight) states including Sikkim is geographically unique and culturally vibrant. North East has hundreds of schedule casts and tribes and they speak different dialects and languages. Of the 635 tribal groups identified by the Anthropological Survey of India, 213 reside in the northeast. Nearly 31.88% of the 50 million of the region are below poverty line.
Out of 8 states, Assam has 3 medical collages, Tripura has 2 medical collages, 1 medical collage in Sikkim and Manipur has one medical collage and another one is being proposed to establish very soon. Medical Council of India should encourage any newly established medical institutes / collages in North east, knowing the prevailing health problem in the region.
Therefore, MCI may reconsider its stand and announcement few months ago to stop recognition and approval of newly established medical collages in the country. North east have no well equips medical research laboratory and specialized hospital so far.
State wise health profiles of north east are given below:
1. ASSAM
Demography
The population of Assam is 26.66 according to 2001 census and is scattered over 27 district and 26312 villages. Assam is divided into three regions, each headed by a commissioner. Under each commissioner, there are several administrative units called Districts. The State has the highest population density among NE states, of 339 persons per sq. km.
As against decadal growth rate of 21.54% at the national level, the population of the State has grown by 18.92% over the period 1991-2001. The sex ratio of Assam at 935 females to 1000 males is higher than the national average of 933. Female literacy of the State rose to 56.03% from 43.03% in 1991. There are so many major tribes and a number of sub-tribes inhabiting the area.
HEALTH INDICATORS OF ASSAM
The Total Fertility Rate of the State is 2.4. The Infant Mortality Rate is 66 and Maternal Mortality Ratio is 490 (SRS 2001 - 03) which are higher than the National average. The Sex Ratio in the State is 935 (as compared to 933 for the country). Comparative figures of major health and demographic indicators are as follows:
Table I: Demographic, Socio-economic and Health profile of Assam State as compared to India figures
Table II: Health Infrastructure of Assam
(Source: RHS Bulletin, March 2007, M/O Health & F.W., GOI)
The other Health Institution in the State are detailed as under:
HEALTH INDICATORS OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH
The Total Fertility Rate of the State is 3.0. The Infant Mortality Rate is 37 and Maternal Mortality Ratio is NA (SRS 2001 - 03). The Sex Ratio in the State is 893 (as compared to 933 for the country). Comparative figures of major health and demographic indicators are as follows:
Table I: Demographic, Socio-economic and Health profile of Arunachal Pradesh State as compared to India figures
Table II: Health Infrastructure of Arunachal Pradesh
(Source: RHS Bulletin, March 2007, M/O Health & F.W., GOI)
The other Health Institution in the State are detailed as under:
Ms V.S. Rao IAS (Retd), the then secretary of DONER has a vision to establish a medical consultancy cum temporary shelter especially for North east people in New Delhi. The idea was considered and welcome by former DONER Minister Shri Manisanker Iyer. Both of them are south Indian, were serving for the development of North East. Unfortunately, the idea was unfinished, Shri, Manisanker Iyer was defeated in the election for the minister of wrong portfolio in wrong constituency.(He was the minister of Panchayati Raj ,well established system in Tamil Nadu and DONER, which is not related to Tamil Nadu ). Now, UPA-II has an agenda for health information network all over India by 2020 under National Knowledge Commission. There should be active involvement of private and public health entities to effective address the creation of this network, portal, electronic health records, health data value, security, privacy and other related issues. The ready availability of information will accrue enormous benefits to public health planning, medical education, cost control, medical research, drug development, prevention of fraud, disaster management and improved patient care and consultancy. Today, DONER ministry has both Secretary and Minister from North East. Will the DONER minister consider an urgent need of NE Health Knowledge Mission in right time?
to be continued....
* The author is a journalist based in New Delhi and contributes regularly to e-pao.net. He can be contacted at gitchandraoinam (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) in. This article was webcasted on September 02nd, 2009.
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