Itanagar, August 11: Today, a significant step was taken towards enhancing healthcare services in Arunachal Pradesh as the Government of Arunachal Pradesh (GoAP) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Religare Care Foundation (RCF). The signing ceremony took place in Itanagar, witnessed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Health Minister Alo Libang.
The primary focus of this collaboration is to address the healthcare skills gap in the region and elevate the state’s healthcare infrastructure. Under the MoU, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Religare Care Foundation (RCF) will provide technical assistance to the government to bolster the tertiary healthcare systems and infrastructure of the hill state. A Centre of Excellence for Renal Sciences will be established at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), with the objective of providing top-notch care to patients, especially those from rural areas.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed his satisfaction with this association, emphasizing the government’s commitment to offering affordable and equitable healthcare services to the people of Arunachal Pradesh. He highlighted the significance of reducing the cost and psychological burden on families seeking specialized medical care, and he anticipates a positive transformation in the healthcare landscape of the state.
Health Minister Alo Libang shared that the initial phase of this partnership will witness the establishment of a state-of-the-art healthcare facility dedicated to renal sciences and related research. This facility aims to ensure that patients requiring dialysis or kidney transplants receive the same level of care as their counterparts in other parts of the country. The partnership also includes training for healthcare professionals to enhance their skills, aligning them with leading states’ healthcare standards.
Dr. Rashmi Saluja, Executive Chairperson of Religare Enterprises Ltd, expressed gratitude to the state government for this collaboration. She believes that this partnership will significantly enhance the state’s healthcare infrastructure and contribute to the professional development of healthcare practitioners. Dr. Ajay Swaroop, Chairman of the Board of Management of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, assured the government of their commitment to improving the healthcare ecosystem in the state and emphasized the qualitative difference this collaboration can bring to healthcare services in the region.
The Arunachal Pradesh government has been allocating a significant portion of its budget to healthcare, with 5.1 percent allocated for health in the 2023-24 budget.
The state boasts a skilled healthcare workforce of over 3,000 professionals, operating in more than 500 government health centers across the state. Additionally, the state benefits from central government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), which have already made a positive impact on healthcare services in the region.
This collaboration between the government and these prestigious healthcare institutions holds the promise of transforming Arunachal Pradesh into a healthcare services hub in the North East, benefiting the people of the state and furthering the development of the healthcare sector.
