Meghalaya CM flags 50% shortage of doctors in state health infrastructure

Shillong, Sept 12: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on thursday stated that the State does not have the requisite number of medical professionals to run even the basic government health care institutions.

Taking part in a discussion on the upcoming Tura Medical College in the Assembly, which was initiated by Leader of Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma, the Chief Minister said: “We do not have sufficient manpower to provide even the basic services in the CHCs, PHCs, and civil hospitals.” He said that procuring adequate manpower for the medical sector of the State has been a huge challenge.

Citing an example, Sangma said that the Garo Hills region requires over 90 medical specialists, but it has only 54. Meghalaya as a whole, has 50 per cent deficit in medical professionals in the civil and district hospitals, maternity and child health centres, and other similar facilities.

Moreover, some of the medical professionals available in the State are not adequately qualified. He pointed out that 20 doctors who were willing to join the governments hospitals, did not have the requisite qualifications.

The Chief Minister stated that the Government is trying to hire medical professionals from outside Meghalaya and also from private and not-for-profit hospitals. But doctors are refusing the offer to join government-run medical institutions.

Sangma stated that starting the Shillong and Tura medical colleges would throw up more challenges as far as getting manpower to run these institutions was concerned.

However, the Chief Minister stated that once these medical institutions start functioning, the Government would try all possible means to recruit the requisite number of medical professionals. Sangma added that these medical colleges would be run by the Government in partnership with private players, and that the tuition fees in these colleges would be subsidised for those getting admission via government quota.