ITANAGAR, 22 Aug: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a 200-bedded multi-specialty hospital at the Ramakrishna Mission Hospital (RKMH) here.
He also dedicated the newly installed Siemens Magnetom 1.5 Tesla MRI machine of the hospital to the people of the state.
Addressing the monks, doctors, nurses and employees of the hospital, Khandu applauded the role of the RKMH in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. He said the doctors, nurses, paramedics and staff of the hospital risked their own lives but did not stop serving the sick and the needy.
Acknowledging the contributions of RK Mission (RKM) in the health and education sectors, the chief minister said: “RKM has been giving to us since the early days of our existence. We decided it was time to give it back, even if small. Therefore, we decided that the proposed 200-bedded multi-specialty hospital should be established as part of the RK Mission Hospital.”
Khandu requested the hospital’s management to set a target of two years for completion of the project, so that it can start serving the people at the earliest. He suggested that the upcoming hospital building be constructed “keeping in mind the natural ambience, and going for a ‘green’ building.”
Speaking about the pandemic, Khandu said that it came as an eye-opener to the government.
“I being the chief minister even wasn’t aware of the status of our health facilities, especially at the ground level. Due to the pandemic, we had repeated serious reviews, consultations and meetings at all levels, which subsequently revealed the poor condition of our health infrastructure. It was this pandemic that enabled us to right the wrong and revamp the health sector in the last one-and-a-half years that we couldn’t do in decades,” he said.
Khandu said that the state government is seriously improving the health sector through creation of infrastructure, manpower and facilities, besides procuring modern and latest health equipment.
“We are completely overhauling infrastructure and facilities of all the district hospitals. We have recruited and will continue recruiting sufficient doctors, including specialists, nurses of all categories, paramedics and other sanitary and assisting staff as required,” he said.
Khandu also informed that the government has decided to select and develop one hospital in every assembly constituency of the state with all facilities.
Remembering his late father and former chief minister Dorjee Khandu’s close association with the hospital (the hospital has a ward named after the late CM), Khandu assured that the state government would support the hospital for years to come.
As a gesture of appreciation and gratitude, he donated Rs 20 lakhs out of pocket to the hospital. (CM’s PR Cell)
