Imphal, August 19: A brain storming session of medical professionals organised in connection with the 150th birth anniversary of Bir Tikendrajit at Jubilee Hall RIMS today has noted the necessity of a practicable health policy for the State.

The session jointly organised by Bir Tikendrajit birth anniversary celebration committee, RIMS Teachers' Association and Manipur State Branch of Indian Medical Association was attended by Health Minister Ph Parijat as chief guest and former RIMS Director MLA Ng Bijoy as president.

RIMS Director Dr L Fimate, Health Director Th Suresh, former NACO consultant Dr Khomdon, and MPSC chairman Dr L Amarjit as guests of honour.

Addressing the session, Ph Parijat noted that the Health Department is unable to extend the benefits of its various welfare programmes to the people.

As such, it is essential for the Health Services and Family Welfare Department to coordinate effectively and to implement welfare programmes together.

Dr Ng Bijoy stressed on the necessity of a pragmatic health policy in order to improve the Health Care Delivery System in Manipur.

As per the norms set by the World Health Organisation, every district hospital should have a minimum of 50 beds, every CHC 30 beds and every PHC 10 beds.

The smallest health centre should compulsory have a surgeon, a physician and a gynaecologist, quoted Dr Bijoy.

However, none of the PHCs or CHCs in Manipur fulfilled the WHO standard.

Consequent upon the acute infrastructure and man power shortage in such health centres, RIMS, JN Hospital and some private hospitals have been overcrowded by patients stretching their resources to the limits, he observed.

To redress the problem, adequate infrastructure should be provided to the health centres and requisite numbers doctors and nurses posted in the health centres together with provision of residential quarters for the staff, he asserted.

Dr Th Suresh informed that 80 percent of the total amount allocated for health care in the State budget is spent on salaries of employees.

As such, the Health Department is managing the health care units with the remaining 20 percent.

Moreover, the Health Department never receive any response to 90 percent of its proposals sent to the Health Secretariat.

He also stressed on the inevitability for effective coordination among Health Services, Family Welfare and the MACS.

To improve the Health Care Delivery System, all contradictions, communication gaps and misunderstanding among these three sectors should be plugged in first.

Observing that there is acute shortage of specialists under the State Health Department, Dr Suresh remarked that the problem is further aggravated with majority of the specialists trained by the State joining RIMS rather than health centres under the State Government.

To redress the problem of virtual absence of specialist doctors in State hospitals, CHCs and PHCs, there should be a strict policy to prohibit joining RIMS by specialists trained under the Health Department, he asserted.

In the morning session moderated by former RIMS Principal Dr E Kuladhaja, Dr Kh Palin, Dr M Akshay Kumar and Dr T Priyokumar spoke as resource persons.

Former AVRC Director of MU Dr Lokendra Arambam moderated the afternoon session.

Dr W Motilal, Dr Y Mohen and Dr M Lala presented papers in this session.

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