Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) Minister P Paiwang Konyak has announced that the state government will transfer excess doctors from some hospitals to those facing shortages in an effort to address the uneven distribution of healthcare professionals across Nagaland. This was stated in a press release.
Konyak stated that a committee had been formed to undertake the re-designation of various posts based on necessity. He directed the committee to focus on transfers and postings, prioritizing the placement of specialists in hospitals where they are most needed.
Regarding manpower shortages in other healthcare categories, the minister instructed the H&FW principal director to convene a meeting without delay and submit an action plan in the next review meeting. He further clarified that the recruitment of staff nurses would proceed based on cabinet approval.
Chairing a review meeting at the Directorate of H&FW in Kohima on Friday, Konyak instructed the H&FW principal director to convene a meeting without delay to address manpower shortages across various categories and submit an action plan in the next review meeting. He also stated that recruitment of staff nurses would proceed based on cabinet approval.
The minister further ordered a crackdown on illegal pharmacies, directing the Drug Control authority to shut down all pharmacies operating without proper registration, licenses, or qualified pharmacists. Citing his state-wide tour in November last year, Konyak warned that action had already been taken against 24 illegal pharmacies in Dimapur, Niuland, Chümoukedima, Mokokchung, Tuensang, and Mon. He added that similar action would be enforced across the state during his upcoming tour. He maintained that streamlining drug licensing would create employment opportunities for qualified pharmacists.
On issues related to the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPM-JAY), the minister directed health officials to convene an urgent meeting with the insurance company and the private doctors’ association to resolve ongoing challenges and ensure smooth implementation of the schemes.
The nearly seven-hour-long review meeting also covered key issues within the H&FW department, including project reviews under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), National Health Mission (NHM), and Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS). Updates on the Tertiary Cancer Care Centre and action reports from previous tour programs were also discussed.
Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (NIMSR) Director-cum-Dean Dr. Soumya Chakraborty briefed the meeting on the institute’s current status, stating that its infrastructure, manpower, and academic activities were progressing well. Meanwhile, an executive engineer overseeing the upcoming Mon Medical College reported that 28% of the construction work had been completed and expressed confidence that the entire infrastructure would be ready by November 2026.
Konyak directed officials to submit an action plan on all the discussed issues in the next review meeting, scheduled to be held in two months.