Nagaland to provide equitable, affordable & speedy healthcare

A two-day long training for senior health officials of Nagaland state commenced under the aegis of ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) India and NHM (National Health Mission) Nagaland on January 17.

This training programme aimed to apprise the state’s health officials about effectively implementing ECHO’s ‘All Teach All Learn’ model of capacity building to further strengthen the state’s health system.

Addressing the introductory session held at De Oriental Grand, Kohima this morning, Y Kikheto Sema, Commissioner & Secretary for Health & Family Welfare stated that Nagaland’s Department of Health & Family Welfare is committed to provide equitable, affordable, and speedy healthcare access to all residents of the state.

“It is crucial to give all cadres of healthcare workforce – doctors, nurses as well as community health workers like ASHAS-opportunities to upskill and enhance their medical knowledge,” he said.

He also stated that technology certainly serves as an enabler in disseminating medical knowledge by allowing easy access to information as well as by eliminating geographic barriers.

“This will ensure that the health system becomes resilient and responsive to effectively deal with all existing and emerging medical challenges,” he said.

He said that Nagaland has a small population and when it comes to the health sector a lot needs to be done because of its geographical and topographical conditions.

In opening remarks, Dr Ritu Thurr, Mission Director, NHM Nagaland highlighted that with the signing of an MoU between ECHO India and NHM Nagaland a few years back, the TB Programme, Immunization, and the Nursing Councils of Nagaland were successfully initiated and also through the ECHO platforms, virtual training during Covid 19 pandemic successfully conducted, where more than 300 frontline workers across the state were trained. He strongly believed that Nagaland’s healthcare system and its delivery mechanism will benefit by adopting use of technology for knowledge dissemination.

Use of digital healthcare services and capacity building programs has become the need of the hour, especially in the wake of challenges thrown at us by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have been leveraging the ECHO Model of capacity building in the state and we find it very effective as it offers healthcare professionals easier, more efficient access to information, opportunities for continuous learning, the ability to give and receive feedback and greater motivation to learn and engage,” he said.

Talking about ECHO’s work in Nagaland, Dr Sandeep Bhalla, Associate Vice President of Projects at ECHO India said, “We are very proud of our partnership with NHM Nagaland, which is aimed at strengthening the state’s health system.”

Our other healthcare partners in the state include the State TB Cell (STC) and the Nagaland Nursing Council, which is a unique example where ECHO India contributed for building capacity of frontline Covid warriors to fight the pandemic through its Vaccination Confidence and Advocacy Program (VCAP), he said.

Strengthening health care systems through partnerships

Since its outset in 2008, ECHO India has undertaken several capacity-building initiatives to strengthen healthcare systems across the North-East hinterland, including Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, Sikkim, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

Geared towards a goal of reaching 400 million Indians by 2025, these initiatives have been in close collaboration with government departments, including State NHMs and Nursing Councils, as well as private sector players like hospitals and medical colleges.

In Nagaland, ECHO India has partnered with the state’s NHM, State Tuberculosis Cell (STC) Kohima, and the Nagaland Nursing Council, aiming to build the capacities of health care workers in primary & tertiary care centres.

The ongoing partnerships span various focus- such as Tuberculosis, Covid-19 Vaccination, and Nursing and are also focused on improving health care access and equity in the state.

To support healthcare and frontline workers in advocating the need and importance of the Covid 19 vaccination, ECHO India with NHM Nagaland, launched the Covid 19 Vaccination Confidence & Advocacy Programme in December 2021.

In December 2022, ECHO India collaborated with NHM Nagaland under their universal immunization programme, launched a programme on Immunization Handbook for Nagaland Health Care Workers.

On April 6, 2021, the State Tuberculosis Cell Kohima was launched as an ECHO Hub.

To further the knowledge and awareness of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices, ECHO India collaborated with the Nagaland Nursing Council lauched IPC capacity building programme, aimed at providing knowledge about IPC, including the role of nursing professionals, and has mentored over 60 nursing professionals from various government and private hospitals in Nagaland. Morung Express