Key Points

The Chief Minister said the health sector in the state had remained neglected for various reasons, but the current government had committed itself to making reforms across the system.

"Our objective is that anybody who requires medical attention should not have to go outside the state. The health sector will be transformed in such a manner that citizens of the state, the region, and neighbouring countries will look to Meghalaya for their treatment. It is a big target, but we have set our goals and prepared ourselves for the task. It is a long journey--let us set our targets clearly, let us invest, and create an ecosystem. Health is not just the state government's responsibility; other stakeholders also play an important role," Sangma said.

The summit was attended by State Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, senior officials, and representatives from various hospitals across the state.

The Chief Minister emphasised the government's strong commitment to improving healthcare delivery, saying, "Health is one of the most critical pillars of governance, and for us in Meghalaya, it has remained at the top of our agenda."

He highlighted that the summit was focused not just on investments but also on real outcomes. "This summit is not just about numbers but about outcomes--how investments translate into real improvements in the lives of our people," he said.

He revealed that Meghalaya currently spends over 8% of its total state budget on healthcare, the highest allocation among Indian states. According to him, this was not just a statistic but proof of the state's priorities.

Over the past seven years, the state had launched multiple initiatives to upgrade infrastructure, human resources, technology, and access to care.

Sangma informed that when the present government took office in 2018, the state had a backlog of over 500 unfilled doctor posts. Due to prolonged recruitment delays, the government set up the Meghalaya Medical Services Recruitment Board (MMSRB) and filled over 500 posts within three months.

During the summit, the Chief Minister and the Health Minister handed over appointment letters to 164 staff nurses, 78 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), and 181 AYUSH professionals under the National AYUSH Mission.

Sangma acknowledged that Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Civil Hospitals had previously been in poor condition, but the government had since made significant investments to rebuild and upgrade them.

He also said the state had adopted digital transformation to improve delivery. "Digital transformation has been a key enabler. Benefits for ASHAs, previously delayed due to paperwork, are now processed and disbursed within a week through a digitized platform," he explained.

The government had also streamlined real-time drug supply chains, enabling health centres to raise indents online and ensure continuous supply of essential medicines. "The entire system has been digitized. Today, we know exactly where delays happen and we can resolve issues swiftly," the Chief Minister added.

Health Minister Dr. Ampareen Lyngdoh also addressed the gathering, stating, "This Health Summit marks a paradigm shift in how we approach healthcare--not just as a public service, but as a shared responsibility involving government, civil society, and the private sector."

A roundtable discussion was held during the day, focusing on emerging technologies, tackling non-communicable diseases like cancer and diabetes, and bridging the urban-rural healthcare gap. A special focus was placed on data-driven public health planning and collaboration between public and not-for-profit healthcare institutions.

The summit marked the beginning of what the state government described as a long-term vision to make Meghalaya a healthcare hub in the Northeast.

- ANI