India's health standard norms, a burden for Manipur

Imphal, Sep 9 : State Health Department will face a heavy financial burden, with an additional expenditure of Rs.139 crore per annum, while adopting the Indian Public Health Standard (IPHS) norms.

The government of India has developed the Indian Public Health Standard as norms for the whole country.

Accordingly, it is proposed that the State also adopt these norms so as to improve public health service delivery.

However, the existing infrastructure and manpower developed during the 8th five-year plan are not commensurate with the population growth, emerging public health issues and advancement of technology in providing public health, officials of the health department disclosed.

Population of state was projected at 26,92,000 by 2010 by the Registrar General of India.

It estimated 23,2058 in Bishnupur district, 44,3792 in Imphal East, 49,5354 in Imphal West, 41,2868 in Thoubal, 13,8299 in Chandel, 25,7754 in Churachandpur, 42,7376 in Senapati, 12,5653 in Tamenglong and 15,8847 in Ukhrul district.

While, as per the IPHS norms, the population criteria of Primary Health Sub-Centre is 5000 heads in plain areas and 3000 in hill areas while that of Primary Health Centre (PHC) is 30,000 and 20,000 respectively.

For Community Health Centre (CHC), it is 100,000 (plain) and 80,000 (hill).

The health department estimated the required health centres at 821 health centres (686 PHSC, 108 PHC and 27 CHC) for providing primary, secondary and tertiary health care services in the State with an additional manpower of 8161 employees and setting up an additional 305 (266 PHSC, 28 PHC and 11 CHC) healthcare centres to be made effective after additional resources are available.

Besides this, six numbers of 50 bedded hospitals (at Senapati, Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Jiribam, Chandel and Bishnupur) are on the pipeline, one 50 bedded hospital at Moreh has already been established without any post creation.

Further, the department has proposed that three 50 bedded hospitals be established at Imphal East, Imphal west and Sadar Hills.

The 100 bedded hospital at Thoubal which is nearing completion also requires adequate manpower, the official said.

A total 8161 employees are required for the above PHSCs, PHCs, 50 bedded hospitals and 100 bedded hospitals.

The existing sanctioned posts for these institutions are 3336 posts.

This excludes manpower at JN Hospital, TB and Leprosy Hospital, District-level Disease Control Offices, CMO offices and Medical Directorate.

The additional posts required to be created is 4825. The department estimated that an additional expenditure of Rs 139 crores per annum is required but this cannot be met from the existing budgetary provisions of the health department.

With regard to the additional expenditure, the Finance and Planning Department expressed difficulties in making additional allocation from the existing resources of the state and advised to request the 13th Finance Commission to provide these resources as a special case.