Shillong, Feb 3: The state government has assured to resolve the issue of location of an upcoming health sub-health centre along the international border with Bangladesh.
Speaking to reporters after meeting a delegation from Hingaria village near the Indo-Bangla border, Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said the government had initially planned to set up a sub-health centre at Hingaria, but it was shifted to Mynkre due to feasibility issues and population criteria.
The delegation of Hingaria Dorbar Shnong on Monday requested the minister to establish a sub-health centre in the village.
“The land was not feasible, and the population was below 3,000. Huroi sub-centre, just 3 km away, caters to Hingaria’s needs,” Shylla explained.
However, considering Hingaria’s remote location and international border proximity, Shylla assured a review meeting to explore possibilities.
“We’ll try to find an amicable solution, but we must follow the criteria for setting up sub-centres,” he added.
Huroi sub-centre currently serves Hingaria, with a Primary Health Centre (PHC) farther away.
Regarding upgrading Huroi sub-centre, Shylla cited population constraints, stating it wouldn’t meet PHC criteria.
“Even if we take the population of both Huroi and Hingaria, it is not even 4000… we are lacking in many criteria to upgrade the Huroi sub-centre to PHC,” he said.
Shylla also informed that the completion of the much-awaited Sonapur-Borkhat road will to a great extent reduce travel time from Huroi to Hingaria to six minutes.
Informing that the road is in the completion stage, he said, “They are going to lay the blacktopping of the road. Once that road is completed, the distance will be just six-minute drive from Huroi to Hingaria.”
Meanwhile, the Dorbar Shnong of Hingaria in a memorandum stated that according to an RTI reply from the District Medical and Health Officer, East Jaintia Hills, a land survey was conducted, but the scheme was transferred elsewhere citing insufficient land.
However, the Dorbar Shnong claims it was never informed and is willing to donate land for the centre.
The village faces high maternal mortality, limited immunization, and vulnerability to diseases due to delayed medical attention.
“We can no longer bear to witness expectant mothers, newborns, and critically ill patients losing their lives while being transported to distant hospitals,” the dorbar shnong stated.
Earlier, MLA Santa Mary Shylla had previously raised the issue in the Legislative Assembly.
