The 4th health index released by the NITI Aayog has seen Arunachal Pradesh drop by one place to seventh in the overall health performance among the smaller states. Arunachal and Manipur emerged as poor performers both in terms of incremental performance and overall performance. The result should be a wake-up call for the government of Arunachal Pradesh. There is no denying that in the last three years the state has seen a massive improvement in the health-related infrastructure. The government-run hospitals have been upgraded across the state. New and latest equipment has been installed.
TRIHMS, the lone medical college of the state, has also seen increased funding. The state government has invested heavily in order to improve the health sector post Corona era. Despite all of this, the state has dropped in the ranking in the health index. There is a need for review and introspection in this regard. The increase in funding does not necessarily mean improvement in the health facilities. Apart from improving the infrastructure, the state government should focus on human resources. There is a need for hiring more qualified doctors and other health workers in the state. Also, the new machines installed in the hospitals need regular maintenance.