State Health Policy
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: October 12, 2012 -

Among the numerous problems plaguing the State today, that of health care is perhaps the most critical because it is directly relates to the quality of health and life of the people and their contribution to the society.

In spite of that Manipur has been lagging behind far behind when it comes to ensuring health care to its people.

While lack of specialist doctors and necessary infrastructures being the main characteristic features of health care delivery system in the state for the last many decades, one biggest problem that the people have to encounter specially in remote areas of the State is the absenteeism of doctors and staffs, which mainly stems from their refusal to remain at their respective place of posting.

There may be many reasons for this ranging from fluid law and order situation prevailing in different parts of the state to the absence of proper accommodation facilities for the doctors and staffs at their place of posting.

All these need to be taken care of for a thriving health care system in the state. In the absence of doctors and necessary medicines, outbreak of even a common disease like flu takes on the proportion of an epidemic in remote areas of the state.

This is the harsh reality that majority of the people living in Manipur have to face every day of their life for the last many years.

In such a situation, the assurance of Health Minister Phungzathang Tonsing that a Health Policy would be formulated soon in tune with the present health scenario in the state is appreciable.

In fact, formulation and implementation of a Health Policy of the State is long overdue. Nonetheless, as they say 'Better late than never', we hope such a policy would be able to address at least some of the glaring loopholes in the existing health care delivery system.

Here, we would like to point out that construction and inauguration of Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Community Health Centres (CHC) in different parts of the State alone would not be able to ensure health care to the people unless the basic components and staff required for smooth functioning of these health centres are not put in place.

While formulating the State Health Policy, the State Government and its Department concerned should also look into the complaints of the people over absenteeism of doctors and other nursing staffs at their place of posting.

The gleaming glass façade of privately run modern hospitals that have come up in different parts of Imphal of late should not be mistaken as sign of improving healthcare infrastructure in the state, when the numerous health care centres set up by the Government are nothing more than mere empty building.