Shillong, Aug 20: Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla on Wednesday visited NEIGRIHMS and called for urgent measures to make the institute the primary referral centre for patients from the state.
Chairing a meeting with NEIGRIHMS administration and senior health department officials, Shylla said while the institute has state-of-the-art facilities, local patients were not utilising multi-specialty services optimally.
“People from other Northeastern states are thronging the tertiary care centre, but our own people are not approaching NEIGRIHMS to the extent they should,” Shylla said, adding that gaps preventing local access must be identified.
NEIGRIHMS Director Prof. Nalin Mehta assured priority steps including strengthening health awareness outreach across Meghalaya, easing language barriers, and deputing specialists to state health centres in partnership with the government.
It was agreed to hold joint review meetings every three months to assess the needs of Meghalaya’s people.
On financial access, NEIGRIHMS will coordinate with the state to provide high-end treatments like cancer and cardiac care, currently beyond MHIS limits, by tapping RAN and other central schemes.
Prof. Mehta said NEIGRIHMS plans to expand with a Regional Cancer Centre, Critical Care Block, De-addiction Centre, enhanced dialysis, organ transplant services, a dental college and more MBBS seats. He also flagged the long-pending demand for Institute of National Importance status to address faculty shortages.
The Minister assured he would personally review progress and take up the INI demand with the union Health minister.
