Mid-term review of National Health Mission Nagaland

The mid-term review of National Health Mission (NHM) for Nagaland was held at Nirman Bhavan, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Delhi on Friday under the chairmanship of MoHFW additional secretary and NHM mission director Roli Singh and State team led by Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) commissioner and secretary Y Kikheto Sema.
During the meeting, Kikheto said that, with the implementation of NHM, there was an overall improvement in healthcare delivery service in the State, with lowest infant mortality (IMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the country, while improvement in children immunisation coverage, elimination phase of TB cases and malaria and leprosy cases eradication being some of the achievements.
However, he pointed out that only 50% of the approved budget by the Central government could be availed over the years due to delay in contributing the State’s share. He also stated that short receipt of grants had not only affected implementation of the programme, but also timely disbursement of staff salary.
Kikheto mentioned that there were more than 2,000 employees under NHM with a requirement of about Rs 70 crore annually, and that the fund received over the years was just sufficient for salary and resulted in huge committed liability created over the years.
He admitted that due to resource constraints, the State failed to provide its share in time, resulting in delay in releasing subsequent Central grants by the Centre. He appealed to MoHFW to consider releasing subsequent instalment even with the pending State share. He also requested for release of approved budget in two instalments instead of the present practice of four instalments for small and hilly States, particularly Nagaland, for effectively implementation of the programme.
On non-utilisation of 15th Finance Commission grants for urban and rural health components for the financial year 2021-22, he clarified that since Nagaland was exempted from the purview of 73rd Amendment of Panchayati Raj Institution, the overall health sector was looked after by H&FW Department. However, since fund was released to Urban and Rural Department, the same could not be utilised till date. He disclosed that the matter had been discussed at the State level Committee, which was also of the view that the grant be implemented by H&FW Department, which was the nodal department.
Singh was also of the view that 15th Finance Commission grants should be implemented by the H&FW Department of the State since it pertained to the health sector. She also agreed that for smaller States like Nagaland, they would try to release the approved budget in two instalments instead of four.
She stated that MoHFW had by and large approved the proposal placed by the State government and advised the State to release its share in time to enable the ministry to release the entire approved budget.
Kikheto was accompanied by NHM State mission director Dr Ritu Thurr and other officials. This was stated in a press release by Kuolie Mere, deputy director and PRO of Nagaland House, New Delhi.