NHP focuses to improve health service management & delivery

November 25, 2022 71 Views No Comment

NHP achieved 95% physical progress and 82% financial progress from procurement section

Morung Express News
Kohima | November 25

Minister for Health & Family Welfare, S Pangyuh Phom today said that since the inception of the Nagaland Health Project (NHP) in 2015, it has on an average achieved 95% physical and 82% financial progress from the procurement section.

NHP, a World Bank aided project which started from pre-pilot phase in 2015 aimed to improve management and delivery of health service and increase the utilisation by involvement of communities.

Speaking at the culmination programme of NHP today at Capital Cultural Hall, Kohima, Phom said it includes infrastructural development and installation of solar plants at health facilities across the state, construction of deep burial and sharp pits in health facilities for proper management of bio-medical wastes, supply of goods for health care systems, supply of IT equipments, consultancy and non-consultancy services etc.

Initially, intervention under NHP took off in Tuensang and Peren as pilot sites; however, today this intervention has been done in 500 different health committees, said Phom.

Progress under NHP
Highlighting the achievements under NHP, the Health Minister stated that civil repair and renovation works have been completed in 4 Nursing Schools and Project Management and Training Institute (PMTI), 9 District Hospitals, and 158 targeted health facilities.

While construction of state warehouse has been completed, repair and renovation work in two district hospitals and 18 health facilities are in progress.

Phom also informed that the project has aided the construction of the upcoming Medical College at Kohima by taking the initiative to construct the library and theatre block. The contract signed on January 2021 is likely to be completed by July 2023, he stated.

Since its inception, the NHP, he said has successfully signed 133 contracts, and one of the first projects in Nagaland to adopt E-procurement for tendering. “Out of these, only 16 remain active while works for the remaining 117 contracts are completed,” he informed.

Secretary H&FW, Asangla Imti informed that intervention in 500 health committees have been made through results based incentive mechanism, health systems strengthening investments in 175 health facilities and construction of bio-medical waste management in 579 health facilities.

Strength of community in Nagaland
Impressed with the achievements made in health services through NHP project, Marion Jane Cros, Sr. Health Economist, World Bank described the role of the community in shaping the health system as “tremendous.”

“Though it was not easy, the community has played a catalytical role to solve some health issues,” said an impressed Cros who visited the various districts in the state.

She informed that 30% of the finance has been utilised for procurement of medicines etc; 20% for behavioural change and nutritional activities; 40% on improvement of infrastructure; and 10% on support for the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) process.

With the ending of the project, she suggested ways to further institutionalise the project and how to sustain it.
Principal Director & Project Director, NHP, Dr K Vikato Kinimi said “through this project, we are seeing change, considering the physical facilities and changes in the way communities interact and react.”

“Seven years ago when NHP was initiated, the health infrastructure was on a different trajectory while community engagement was waning,” said Kinimi. However, he maintained that through this, it has developed interoperable information and communication technology linked to high-priority applications which are all intended to improve the management and effectiveness of government health services in Nagaland.

During the programme, citation and cash awards were given away for ‘Best Community Contribution’ and ‘Best Performing Health Care Management Committee.’ A book on ‘Glimpses of Nagaland Health Project’ was also released by the Health Minister along with others.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nhp-focuses-to-improve-health-service-management-delivery