Tura: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma has laid the foundation stone for the construction of the P.A. Sangma Medical Skill Hunar Hub at Dumindikgre, near Babadam in the West Garo Hills district.
Funded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram, the P. A. Sangma Medical Skill Hunar Hub is being developed at an estimated cost of around 150 crores and is being implemented through the Department of Social Welfare.
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The Medical Skill Hunar Hub will impart training in the field of nursing and paramedics. The project includes the construction of a 300 bedded multi-speciality hospital comprising one Nursing college, a pharmaceutical college, a Paramedical College and a Skill Development Centre in addition to hostels for accommodation. Addressing the gathering at the foundation laying ceremony, the Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for the prestigious project.
He said that the Medical training centre has the potential to address the needs of the State's health care sector for well trained and skilled medical professionals. Stating that Meghalaya along with the rest of the country faced challenges due to the Covid-19 in the past three years, the Chief Minister said, "The State had to endure shortage of medical staff and nurses due to increased patient intake in health facilities across the State during the pandemic period."
Acknowledging the requirement to take preparatory steps to strengthen the manpower needed to manage similar situations in the future, Sangma said that his government had envisioned setting up such medical training facilities in the State. 'I express my gratitude to the Ministry of Minority Affairs under the leadership of Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Ji for accepting our proposal and sanctioning this very important project for our State', the Chief Minister said. Noting that improving the health care sector in the State is a priority of the present government, the Chief Minister said, "We need to ensure that ample importance is given to the health sector so that in the future we are able to provide proper health services to the people and even if challenges and pandemics like the Covid-19 pandemic that came in…..come in the times ahead, we as a state and a country is prepared to face those challenges."
Health and Family Welfare Minister, James Sangma informed the gathering on the various reforms that have been initiated in the health sector to improve the overall health scenario in the State and to ensure healthcare services become available and accessible to people at the grassroots. He said the Medical Hunar Hub will be a crucial support system for various manpower requirements to successfully fulfill the mandate of Preventive Health Care as envisioned under the Meghalaya State Health Policy. "The Medical Skill Hunar Hub will be a modern state-of-the-art medical facility that will cater to medical skill development and health services not only to the State but neighbouring states as well," James said.
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