• NET Web Desk

In an attempt to deliver better health services to the people of the state, the Nagaland government is initiating all required measures to commence the first medical college, and launch the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) by 2022.

According to the Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department – Amardeep Singh S Bhatia, efforts are underway to ensure the operation of first Nagaland Medical College in Kohima and the state administration is hopeful that the regulatory agency – National Medical Commission – will assist the state and grant the necessary permission to start the college.

The senior health official announced the same, while addressing a review programme of Social Health Responsibility Campaign organized in collaboration with Kohima District Administration and Association of Kohima Municipal Wards and Panchayats (AKMWP) on Thursday, themed on “Leave no one’s health behind: invest in health systems for all”.

According to him, the state government has already created 60 senior faculty seats for the medical institution, with more being added as needed.

The government is putting up every effort to build the medical college, according to the principal secretary, who expressed hope that the first batch of students would be enrolled by this year.

The second initiative will be the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme which was announced by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in his budget speech in March this year.

The goal is to cover the entire population with Rs 5 lakh for each in-patient, he said, adding that the Health Department is focusing on aspects to launch the concerned scheme by October 2022.

“The medical college will provide the state with more professional physicians, but the insurance scheme will allow us to reduce out-of-pocket expenses and provide better treatment,” he said.

Meanwhile, the key objectives of both these programmes, according to Bhatia, is to make quality health care more accessible in the northeastern state.