Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoH&FW) principal director, Dr. E. Motsuthung Patton, while addressing the Medical Officers (MOs), Community Health Officers (CHOs) and staff nurses, said they should consider it a privilege and an opportunity to provide healthcare services to needy people in the interior part of the districts across the state.
A press release by National Health Mission (NHM) Nagaland informed that Dr. Patton was speaking at a one-day orientation on National Quality Assurance Standard (NQAS) for MOs, CHOs and staff nurses Wednesday at the Conference Hall, DoHFW, Kohima.
“It is a privilege to service the people, especially in the interior part of the districts, and so we should take it as an opportunity, as we are providing health care services to needy people,” said Dr. Patton.
He appealed to the healthcare providers present to work relentlessly with the aim of improving the state’s health indicators and of giving quality healthcare to the people.
NHM Nagaland mission director, Dr. Akuo Sorhie, asserted that more focus has been given to providing quality healthcare in the public health sector in the country. She said that NQAS is the highest quality certificate for public health facilities in recognition of the high standard maintained by public health units.
Dr.Sohrie mentioned that NQAS’ main focus was to enhance the satisfaction level of patients seeking public facilities and to rebuild trust in the public health system while ensuring quality health care and at the same time maintaining ethical standards.
She urged the participants present to try their best to make the health units within their jurisdiction and make them NQAS certified health units.
NHM Nagaland, state program officer, Dr. Mereninla Senlem, informed the participants that the National Health Policy 2017 aims at universal health coverage for all, which would be achieved only when the healthcare providers give excellent, safe and quality health care.
She said the ministry of health, government of India, was emphasising quality by ensuring that all the health units are NQAS certified. Dr. Senlem said being NQAS certified was a key indicator not only for Niti Ayog ranking but also for aspirational blocks.
The programme was chaired by NHM Nagaland, deputy director, Dr. Kheshika Yeptho. Meanwhile, NHM Nagaland has informed that so far, in Nagaland, three Urban Primary Health Units (UPHU) and two Primary Health Units (PHU) have achieved NQAS certification.
It informed that the government of India has decided that, for NQAS certification, the state should achieve 50% of Public Health NQAS certified by 2025 and 100% by December 2026.