Centre urged to set up AIIMS in Meghalaya
Staff Reporter
Shillong, Sept 20: The State government has decided to urge the Centre to set up an All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in the State of Meghalaya.
Replying in the Assembly today, Minister-in-charge of Health and Family Welfare Ampareen Lyngdoh said, “Since the tag AIIMS means a lot to patients from the region (the matter was discussed) with the chief minister and yes we will take up with the Centre. He (CM) is preparing a DO letter to the health minister, Government of India to see that we are also fortunate to have that kind of institute in the State of Meghalaya.”
The Leader of Opposition Ronnie V Lyngdoh said that AIIMS is not only a tag but an administrative power is more and having such an institute in the state will to a great extent ease the financial burden of the people from the region.
According to him, the government is requested to take up the matter since the Ministry wants to upgrade the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) to AIIMS-like institutions. He said that the case can be argued since the State already has the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS)
On the purpose of setting up the Meghalayan Medical Drugs and Service Limited (MMDSL), Ampareen said the MMDSL seeks to enhance drug procurement and supply management, ensuring continuous availability of medical supplies, maintenance of medical equipment for health facilities in Meghalaya, standardizing specifications, tender procedures, billing and payment systems to achieve efficiency in drug distribution.
Meanwhile taking into consideration the concerns expressed by the members on the problem of drug menace, the health minister informed that the government will set up de-addiction centres for women under the Drug Reduction Elimination and Action Mission (DREAM) project.
She said that there is no de-addiction centre for women in the state at present.
Earlier, Mawlai legislator Brightwellstar Marbaniang has urged the government to set up a de-addiction centre in his constituency, which has become one of the drug hotspots in the state.