Minister, Health & Family Welfare, Paiwang Konyak has said that Nagaland public’s response to Ayush medicines has been very encouraging, and the intake of Ayush Medicine is steadily increasing over the years.
Konyak, speaking at the National Ayush Mission Conclave at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, highlighted that Nagaland is still fighting with communicable diseases and at the same time, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases has increased over the years. This alarming rate of increase in lifestyle related health disorders in the State can be reversed to great extent with the intervention of Ayush system of health care, he said.
The Minister stated that with the support of the Government of India, the state has established a 10-Bedded Integrated Ayush Hospital at Dimapur which has been functioning since October 2016; 30-Bedded Integrated Ayush Hospital at Noklak which has been functioning since December 2018 and a 50-Bedded Integrated Ayush Hospital at Razha, Chedema which has been functioning since 2022.
He informed that the ongoing projects are 50-Bedded Integrated Ayush Hospital at Sapangya, Mokokchung; 30-Bedded Integrated Ayush Hospital at Yachem, Longleng under construction. Under the co-location Ayush facility has provided repair, renovation of some CHCs/ PHCs, and medicines Ayush hospitals and dispensaries.
However, Konyak stated that the last few years, the state failed to avail approved outlay which has hampered the ongoing projects. He further stated that during last year 2022-23, the state could avail only 25% of the total outlay and most of the programs which were approved during the last year had to carry over to the current financial year.
The Minister indicated that during the current year the state is proposing for 15 new Ayush dispensaries, including 11 dispensaries that were approved last year but funds could not be sanctioned/ released. Similarly, three 30-Bedded new Integrated Ayush Hospitals including one which was approved last year and three 10-bedded Integrated Ayush Hospital which were approved last year but could not be sanctioned. Konyak urged the Ministry to consider for early release of the fund to enable the state government to propose for supplementary proposal at the later part of the year.
The two-day National Ayush Mission Conclave from 18 to 19 May, 2023, was jointly addressed by the Union Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Ayush, Ports, Shipping and Water Ways, Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and was attended by State Health Ministers and Secretaries.
Minister, P Paiwang Konyak was accompanied by Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Government of Nagaland, Y Kikheto Sema, IAS and other senior officers of the Department, DIPR informed.