Mon: Healthcare systems to receive a boost through CSR

Mon, June 16 (MExN): A number of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives are in the pipeline to boost the public health system in Mon district.

According to a press release issued by Deputy Commissioner Thavaseelan K, one such project is the procurement and installation of 49 different advanced medical equipments worth approximately Rs 1.64 crore for the District Hospital in Mon.

It was informed that under the initiative of District Administration Mon, the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) Foundation would be donating the medical equipments, for which a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) has been executed between the REC, the District Hospital Mon and the Mon DC. The procurement of medical equipments is to strengthen health care services at the District Hospital, and will be fully funded by REC under its CSR schemes, the release stated.

A Project Implementation Committee consisting of representatives from REC Foundation, doctors from District Hospital Mon and officers from District Administration Mon has been constituted to oversee the implementation of the project. The Committee after due deliberation with the doctors of the District Hospital has finalised the procurement and installation of 49 different advanced medical equipments, it said.

Similarly, a MoA has been executed between the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC), the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Mon and the District Coordination Committee represented by the Mon Chief Medical Officer, for donating medical equipments worth approximately Rs 40 lakh to the Community Health Centres at Aboi and Tobu.

The office of the DC and the District Coordination Committee will oversee the implementation of this project. An ECG Machine, Haematology Analyser, Biochemistry Analyser, Dental X Ray and a Portable X Ray Machine with Digital CR System will be provided to both the CHCs, the release stated.

For both the initiatives, an Open Tender would be shortly published by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Mon. Any interested party can get a copy of the tender from the office or on the official district website: https://www.mon.nic.in.

Solar energy solutions for healthcare units
In another press release, DC Thavaseelan informed that Crypto Relief & SELCO Foundation are partnering with the Mon District Administration to power and revitalise healthcare systems in the district.

Noting that achieving universal access to reliable and quality healthcare is one of the Sustainable Development Goals for the UN’s Agenda 2030, the release stated that the Ministry of Health and SELCO Foundation have taken up one of the largest programmes to upgrade public health facilities with solar energy and efficient medical equipment, to create resilient public health facilities and provide quality primary healthcare to rural and remote communities.

It said that the first phase of the initiative aims to reach 1278 healthcare facilities across 10 districts in 5 states of India, including Mon in Nagaland.

As part of an initial pilot over a 3 month period, 4 health centres in Mon were solar powered with co-funding from the local elected members. Building on the success of this effort, the current project has integrated solar energy solutions and efficient medical equipment across 55 healthcare facilities including the District Hospital Mon at a cost of approximately Rs 2.86 crore. This is directly in line with the Nagaland National Health Mission’s commitment to ensuring timely health services to people in rural, remote and under-served regions across the state, the release stated.

Stating that the communities in Mon district face challenges of difficult terrain, remoteness, vulnerability to climate risks and natural disasters, the release maintained that the district would greatly benefit from solar energy that can power critical healthcare services. By combining energy efficient appliances with solar energy, the initiative will ensure reliable and quality power supply even in areas susceptible to grid-outages due to rains and heavy winds, it added.

In the long run, reliable and quality energy access will not only directly benefit last-mile communities in need of better healthcare delivery, but also contribute to improving staff retention in remote regions and increased footfall and utilisation of health services, it said.

As per the release, the programme is being funded by Crypto Relief, which was set up to provide healthcare and essentials to those fighting for survival against COVID-19. In the past 12 months, the fund has attracted more than USD 440 million and is working closely with partner organisations, NGOs, and hospitals to support the Government of India’s efforts in responding to the pandemic, it said.

In light of the collaboration in Nagaland, the release quoted Harish Hande, CEO of SELCO Foundation, as saying: “We are honoured to partner with the state of Nagaland especially the District Administration of Mon, to showcase the importance of decentralized energy in enabling delivery of essential health services to every resident of Mon. We hope this collaboration will become a model of sustainable delivery of health services to other geographies in the world.”

The release further stated that the partnership seeks to create a scalable model for health facilities to become more resilient to future emergencies and well-equipped to meet the needs of the remotest and poorest communities in Nagaland. It is helping create socially, financially and environmentally sustainable assets and infrastructure in the most vulnerable parts of the country, the release stated.

Meanwhile, DC Thavaseelan who has been part of the programme from inception, expressed gratitude to SELCO Foundation and Crypto Relief stating: “This has been one of the major issues that we’ve been grappling with in the District for several years now. Healthcare service delivery will acquire a new meaning forthwith. The team at SELCO Foundation understood the energy needs of the healthcare system, assessed the gaps and created an effective solution for basic healthcare services.”

Source: https://morungexpress.com/mon-healthcare-systems-to-receive-a-boost-through-csr