Steps taken to set up mental hospital: Dr Ranjan
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 06 2024: Health and Family Welfare minister Dr Sapam Ranjan has informed that the state government has made preparations for establishing a mental hospital in view of rising cases of mental stress among the people of the state.

Opposition MLAs Surjakumar Okram, Th Lokeswar and K Meghachandra raised cut motions when the demand for grants for health and family welfare services amounting to Rs 1589,28,88,000 was moved for passing in Tuesday's session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

In his reply, health and family welfare minister Dr Ranjan informed the House that non-communicable diseases constitute 30 percent of the diseases in 1990s but increased to 60 percent as per the data collected in 2022.In view of this, chief minister N Biren Singh introduced 'Health for All' programme to detect non-communicable diseases among the people so that treatment could begin before suffering from such diseases.

Under the programme, the earlier Primary Health Centres have been assigned newly as Health and Wellness Centres, he added.

While asserting that state government takes the rising cases of mental stress among the people very seriously, minister Ranjan informed that government has made preparations for construction of a mental hospital at an estimated cost of Rs 7.47 crore under the Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) scheme.

This hospital will help people of the state immensely and it is a result of CM Biren's persistent pressure to the Centre, he claimed.

While stressing the need for enhancing infrastructures and qualified doctors in government hospitals, the health minister stated that the government is working to improve infrastructures of all government hospitals including district hospitals and CHCs.

While informing the House that the department monitors staff strength of Jiribam hospital and some derelict medical staff were suspended recently, minister Ranjan said that efforts are on to ensure requisite staff at the hospital where digital X-ray machine will be installed within a week.

After clarifying to questions raised in the House, the health minister urged Opposition members to withdraw policy cut motions so that the demand for grants could be passed.

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