As of March 31, 2021, Nagaland has 445 sub-centers, 138 Primary Health centers (PHCs), 21 Community Healthcare Centers (CHCs) and 11 district hospitals, reported the Rural Health Statistics (2020-2021) recently released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The report further recorded a shocking 63% shortfall in PHCs in Urban areas of Nagaland along with a shortfall of 16 female health workers. The most disappointing finding came from the CHCs in rural areas with a shortfall of 19 surgeons, 19 Obstetrician and Gynecologists, 19 physicians, and 20 pediatricians making it a total shortfall of 77 specialists. The CHCs further recorded 0 Anesthetists in position, 0 eye surgeon and shortfall of 16 radiographers.
CHCs are established and maintained by the State government under Minimum Needs Programs (MNP)/ Basic Minimum Services (BMS) Programs. As per minimum norms, a CHC is required to be manned by four medical specialists i.e. Surgeon, Physician, Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Pediatrician supported by paramedical and other staff. It needs to have 30 in-door beds with one OT, X-ray, labor room and laboratory facilities and serve as a referral centre for 4 PHCs and also provides facilities for obstetric care and specialist consultations.
The PHCs of rural areas also recorded a shortfall of 224 health assistants and 8 doctors whereas on the contrary, female health workers exceeded the requirement by 84. Similarly, in Sub-centers of rural areas, there was a shortfall of 309 male health workers while female health workers were in excess by 267 from the requirement.
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The PHCs are established and maintained by the State governments under the Minimum Needs Program (MNP)/ Basic Minimum Services (BMS) Program. It acts as a referral unit for 6 Sub Centers and has 4-6 beds for patients. The activities of PHC involve curative, preventive, promotive and family welfare services.
Sub Centres are assigned tasks relating to interpersonal communication in order to bring about behavioral change and provide services in different programs like maternal and child health, family welfare, nutrition, immunization, diarrhea control and communicable diseases as well as non-communicable diseases.
Comparing the 2021 data to 2005 data, the sub-centers in rural area saw an increase from 394 to 427; PHCs in rural areas also saw an increase from 87 to 131 while CHCs remained at 21 for 16 years. However, it is observed that no significant improvement has been made as the doctors in position saw an increase from 53 in 2005 to only 123 as of March 2021 when the requirement is 131. Similarly, the total specialists at CHCs rural were recorded 0 in 2005 and 7 as of March 2021 when the requirement is 84.
The report also saw a declining rural population from 71.1% in the 2011 population census to 56.6% rural population according to an estimated mid-year population 2021.