ITANAGAR, 11 Aug: The Arunachal Pradesh government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (GRH) and Religare Group’s CSR arm, Religare Care Foundation (RCF), in Itanagar on Friday.
Health & Family Welfare Secretary Liyon Borang, GRH director (medical) Dr Satendra Katoch, and Religare Enterprises Ltd executive chairperson Dr Rashmi Saluja signed the MoU in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Health Minister Aalo Libang.
Under the MoU, GRH and its partner RCF will offer technical assistance to the state government to strengthen the state’s tertiary healthcare systems and infrastructure.
To begin with, a centre of excellence for renal sciences will be established at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (TRIHMS).
Expressing happiness over the association, Khandu described the MoU as a step forward in providing affordable, accessible and equitable healthcare services to the people of Arunachal.
“It is an endeavour of the government to bring the best of the tertiary healthcare services near to home, thereby reducing the cost and also the psychological trauma the family has to go through for seeking such medical cares. By joining hands with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Religare group, we look forward for bringing about changes that positively impact the lives of the people and also the entire healthcare landscape of the state,” he said.
Observing that kidney diseases have become a major problem for most people of the state, Khandu expressed hope that the centre of excellence for renal sciences would offer the best treatment and care to patients, especially those hailing from rural areas.
He requested the officials of GRH, Religare, and the state’s health department to “explore more avenues to collaborate, so that best of treatments are made available to the people within the state.”
Libang informed that, in the first phase of the partnership, the group will assist in establishing a state-of-the-art healthcare facility dedicated to renal sciences and related research.
“This facility will ensure that patients requiring dialysis or kidney transplants receive the same level of care as those in other parts of the country. Moreover, healthcare professionals in the state will receive appropriate training to enhance their skills and bring them in line with their counterparts in leading states with superior healthcare facilities,” he added.
Religare Enterprise Ltd chairperson Dr Rashmi Saluja said, “This collaboration will greatly enhance the state’s healthcare infrastructure and contribute to the professional development of healthcare practitioners. We believe that this partnership will give us a unique opportunity to serve the people of Arunachal Pradesh and make the state the healthcare services hub in the Northeast.”
GRH management board chairman Dr Ajay Swaroop expressed optimism that “by working along with the state’s healthcare professionals, a qualitative difference will be brought to the healthcare services in the region.”
The state government has been working towards improving the healthcare services in the state. In its budget for 2023-’24, the state has allocated 5.1% of its expenditure on health.
The state also boasts a workforce of over 3,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, paramedics, pharmacists, nurses, and more. These skilled individuals work in over 500 government health centres across the state.
Additionally, the state benefits from various central government schemes, such as Ayushman Bharat and the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme. Through Ayushman Bharat, the state has seen the establishment of health and wellness centres and dispensaries, which have greatly enhanced healthcare services.
Among others, Chief Secretary Dharmendra, Health & Family Welfare Special Secretary Vivek HP, and TRIHMS Director Dr Moji Jini attended the event. (CM’s PR Cell)
