Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 8
The state’s health & family welfare department stated that some commonly prevalent diseases which burden the state are communicable diseases such as Malaria, TB, Viral infection, Urinary tract infection, Respiratory tract infection, Gastroenteritis, Typhoid Hepatitis, Helminthiasis etc.
It also stated that with the changing of life style, Hypertension, Cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes and Cancer etc have also become quite prevalent.
On the other hand, the adult HIV prevalence of the state has come down from 1.2% to 0.78%.
“Despite inheriting a rudimentary infrastructure at the time of statehood, the department is steadfastly striving towards improving the health delivery system in the state,” it said adding that the present challenge is to universalize primary health care on one side and strengthen the secondary and tertiary level health care on the other.
To address those deficiencies, the department plans to accelerate infrastructure strengthening in tandem with development of manpower by establishing medical institutions and intensifying multi-skilling training as a short term measure to meet the specialist requirement.
Also to supplement the much needed resources, the department has intensified harnessing external resources by developing partnership with various agencies. Through the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) the department is working on a mission mode to achieve the national and state target of health care indicators.
“Though there have been gaps and shortcomings and with the given limited resources, the department is striving to improve the health scenario of the state,” it added.
Stating that the term health and family welfare services covers a wide spectrum of personnel and community services for treatment of diseases, prevention of illness and promotion of health, it stated that the department strives continuously to provide the highest attainable standard of health.
It added that the officers and staff are deployed across the state through the network of health units; sub centre, primarily health centres, community health centres and district hospitals.
