Shillong, Sep 20: Patients having to resort to lying in verandahs and corridors of Jowai Civil Hospital at Ialong due to a shortage in beds may soon get relief, as the Meghalaya government has decided to double the hospital’s capacity from 100 to 200 beds.
Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla announced the decision during an interaction with MHIS-PMJAY beneficiaries on September 19. He said the expansion will be taken up under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE).
Shylla said he had been receiving complaints about overcrowding and the expansion was aimed at strengthening healthcare services to meet the growing needs of the region.
The minister said the government is also working to strengthen healthcare facilities in rural areas so that people can get treatment closer to home.
As part of this, Jarain Primary Health Centre in Amlarem is being upgraded to a sub-divisional hospital, while Ummulong Community Health Centre is being upgraded to a 50-bed facility. He added that there are plans to upgrade Laskein CHC into a sub-divisional hospital as well.
On the shortage of specialist doctors, Shylla said the Health Department will empanel hospitals that have specialists, who will visit PHCs and CHCs on scheduled days to carry out major surgical procedures and make specialist care more accessible.
