Health For Unity : Looking up the hills
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: November 20, 2014 -

Manipur can never be identified with a single community, a single culture, a single language, a single topography.

It indeed, is a pluralistic term.

That is why, the problems existing in Manipur state are always varied and solutions of which call for complicated thinking and broad mindedness.

Leadership in this kaleidoscopic state requires traits of a different nature.

He/she must look up the hills, in the manner and with the frequency, he/she glances at his/her front.

A leader of Manipur should not think that he is a Tangkhul, nor a Meitei, nor a Kabui, nor a Kuki, nor a Meitei Pangal.

But he/she is a Manipuri who can pose himself in different facets.

When all political leaders, all bureaucrats, all technocrats, all teachers, all doctors, all nurses, all civil society leaders can think themselves as a member of this pluralistic Manipuri society; no force on earth can disturb our unified existence.

All sorts of divisive forces are the outcome of the very mentality inherent in the leaders, bureaucrats, technocrats etc. etc.

Newly joined Director of Health Services of the state appears to be working on a different mission, which former ones in the position never endeavored.

He seems to be looking up the hills and glancing at the remotest of the villages of his own state.

If successful, his mission will be a reiteration that Manipur is composed of the Hills and the Valley together.

When health is secured, every other components of life will prosper. Every citizen of the state needs to be in sound health, both mentally and physically.

All irrespective of community attachments, political affiliation and topographical locations must extend all their possible support to the mission for health improvements in all places particularly the remote villages of Manipur.

A number of PHCs and PHSCs particularly in remotest hill villages have been listed for up-gradation to 24/7 service centres.

PHC in Behiang in Singhat sub-division of Churachandur, and PHC at Rilram Centre located at Indo-Myanmar border in Chandel district are among the health centres recently considered for inclusion in 24/7 initiatives.

Long-pending grievances of Jiribam sub division in health sector have somewhat been fulfilled with provision of requisite equipment under the new health Director’s initiative.

Delivery points have been established in far off places like the Sajik Tampak in Chandel district. Sita and Leibi PHSCs have recently been visited for taking up feasible improvements.

Inauguration of ‘Operation Theatre’ for Senapati district hospital is also a concrete step towards boosting health care in hill district.

These are only a few instances and it’s just the beginning. Many more health initiatives are being taken up in the hill districts.

Even the CM of Manipur announced that specialist doctors will be sent to hill districts for two months on rotation basis.

All sections of people must encourage the new Director of Health Services Okram Ibomcha Singh in his endeavour to unite the people of Manipur through provision of a balanced health care in Manipur.