No final decision on hospital privatization says Chief Minister

IMPHAL, May 22: Appealing to those who are in the profession of nursing to serve patients with mercy of mankind and with a pleasant mood, O Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister of the state said serving  humanity should be considered as serving God.Speaking at the international nurses’ day observation organized by Nurses’ Association JNIMS at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) Complex here today, the CM said healthcare sector is among those sectors which the government gives priority.

He made the point that no final decision has been taken yet in the matter of privatization of some government hospitals under a PPP model. Regarding the matter public opinion will also be taken after a report is submitted to the government by a team after conducting a minute observation of what is happening in such hospitals of other states, he asserted.

He informed that the team will comprise representatives of former medical professionals from the legislature group including Dr Ng Bijoy, Dr I Ibohanbi, Dr Chaltonlein Amo and Dr RK Anand including the Director of Health and Deputy Secretary Health etc.

He said that  the role of the private party in a PPP model structure would be hospital management, cleanliness maintenance and purchase of equipments, tools and machines. The hospital will be run as per the treatment charge fixed by the government and the employees will remain under the government.

It will be made sure that there will be no insufficiency in the fund for JNIMS which is the only remaining medical institute set up by the state, the CM assured and expressed belief that the institute will be given recognition by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

He then appealed to all to make efforts so that the institute become a famous one, and handed over mementos to a staff nurse of JNIMS Th Memcha Devi who received this year’s Florence Nightingale Award and N Surbala Devi who is the first PhD holder among the nursing personnel in the state.

The observation was also attended by Kh Ratankumar, Minister Works and Transport; Dr W Gopimohon, Medical Superintendent JNIMS; P Landhoni Devi, Nursing Superintendent; and Dr M Shyamo, OSD JNIMS.