Realise potential of available resources and maximize its usage: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to health experts in Northeast region

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday called upon health and medical experts in Northeast India to find innovative ways of improving the existing healthcare system with the available resources. He stressed upon the importance of realising, recognising and maximising the potential of the available resources for effective delivery of health services to the people in the Northeast region, according to a statement. 

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"While we talk about challenges and gaps, we should realise the potential of the available resources and maximize its usage which is equally important for efficiency and effective delivery of health services," Conrad said while addressing the Northeast Healthcare Leadership Summit in Shillong.

Conrad, as the chief guest of the event, was speaking about the challenges and pitfalls in the health sector in the entire Northeast region. The approach of recognising and maximising the potential of the available resources can have a great impact in taking forward the "vision of a healthier region", he added.

The third edition of the Northeast Healthcare Leadership Summit was held on Monday at Yojana Bhawan in Meghalaya's capital Shillong. The event this time was organised by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) in partnership with the Meghalaya government with the support from the Development of the North East Region Ministry (DoNER), 

The summit aims to strengthen the focus on key health issues in the NE region, explore emergent avenues for collaboration and provide a platform for interaction between various agencies and stakeholders such as healthcare providers, policy makers, researchers, government officials, the private sector and non-governmental organisations, the organisers said in a statement.

The leadership summit attempts to draw the attention of policy makers and other stakeholders to the healthcare system of the North East region and contribute towards bridging the North Eastern Region for Health Transformation, the organisers said.

During the Summit, Conrad also handed over achievement awards and citation to outstanding individuals for their contribution to NHM, Meghalaya government.

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Achievers and Awards

Dr Kalpana Choudhury, Gynaecologist,  was awarded for her expert service in PMSMA where pregnant mothers get specialised care on the 9th of every month.

Sportspersons, Hameshaniah Suian & Melanie Pariat, they are Goodwill Ambassador for RKSK Program. They are instrumental in promoting healthy habits and lifestyle through school and community health programs and through various media.

Development partners WHO & UNICEF for their continuous support and guidance, towards improving the performance of the state’s Immunization,  Maternal & Child Care etc

Selmila Momin, ASHA from Nangaburi village of North Garo Hills, for her dedication and hard work to improve the health conditions and nutritional status of the children of her village. She is also the recipient of ‘POSHAN MAAH” award 2018 in New Delhi on October 10, 2018 under the individual excellence category.

Other dignitaries present were Sikkim MP PD Rai, Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister Alexander Laloo Hek, CH Kharshiing, Planning and Health Adviser, North Eastern Council; Tsering, Chief Secretary and State Vigilance Commissioner, Government of Meghalaya, and other government and health officials from NE states.

Prominent speakers deliberated on themes that are relevant and pertinent to the Northeastern Region:
Access to Health and Challenges in the North East
The Impact of Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Epidemic: Lessons Learnt and Way Forward
Healthcare Financing, Human Resources for Health Issues and Challenges in the North East
Epidemic & Disaster Preparedness in the North East
Leadership, Governance and Policy in Health: The North East NHM Context
Cross Learnings of Best Practices and Challenges in the North East.

According to the statement, the summit was held as a part of the Project Swasth Uttar Purv, an initiative by the PHFI supported by the Doner ministry to strengthen human resource and systems capacity for strengthening Public Health in the Region that is committed to address the identified and felt needs of the eight states of the North-East by promoting policy and programme relevant research, by filling critical information gaps, conducting health summits and Health Conclaves, conducting impact assessments and cancer awareness programs, evaluating innovations for improving the outreach and effectiveness of health systems, ultimately developing a robust public health cadre in the North East.