Tikrikilla: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Saturday said the government is investing close to Rs. 350 crores to create better health care infrastructure in the State.
“The government is making a concerted effort to bring change in the overall health scenario of the State,” Sangma said after laying the foundation stone for up-gradation of Tikrikilla Public Health Centre (PHC) to a Community Health Centre (CHC) at Kentapara under Dadenggre Block, West Garo Hills district.
Stating that the CHC will make quality healthcare accessible to the people of the area, the Chief Minister informed that the decision to upgrade the health centre was taken during his last visit to the area when he witnessed the lack of adequate facilities in the PHC.
‘Our doctors and nurses are working hard to provide the best healthcare in rural and remote areas of the State despite the challenges,” Sangma said.
“Taking lessons learned from the Covid pandemic in which our healthcare facilities were overwhelmed due to increased patient intake, the Government has taken the initiative to create adequate health facilities, PHCs and CHCs to deal with such eventulaities in the future,” he added.
Emphasising on the need for development initiatives to reach people living in the remote far-flung areas of the State, Sangma said, “Anywhere you travel you’ll see that development is centred in the cities and towns. A change in our approach is needed so that people in the remotest areas can avail the facilities that are meant for them.”
The Chief Minister also urged the people to be receptive to the effort of the Goverment to usher in progress and development in the State.
“I thank the people of Kentapara for the generous contribution of land to construct this CHC. Sometimes land acquisition has been a hindrance even if the Government want to bring in development’, he said.
Close to 100 bighas of land has been donated by the community for the construction of the CHC at Kentapara village.
