Manipur may not able to fulfill NHRM's objectives
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 29 2011: Pointing out absence of evaluation, weakness in internal control and monitoring mechanism, the objective of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) may not be achieved during the year 2005-12, the CAG report pointed out.

The NRHM was launched in Manipur in November 2005, eight months after it was launched by GoI with the objective of providing accessible, affordable, accountable, effective and reliable health care facilities in the rural areas, especially to the poor and vulnerable section of the society.

The mission targeted to reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternity Mortality Rate (MMR) and Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for population stabilization and prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, including epidemic diseases with the involvement of community and planning.

In Manipur, the planning process was inadequate as it was prepared without baseline survey inputs.

As of March 2010, the state was yet to carry out a comprehensive household and facility survey to identify the gaps in health care facilities.

Upgradation of Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres and Sub-centres to the level of Indian Public Health Standards had not been achieved.

While the percentage of fully immunized infants ranged from 69 and 81% during 2005-06 and 2007-10, it exceeded the target during 2006-07 .

There was an absence of internal audit, evaluation, weakness in internal control and monitoring mechanism, the CAG observed stating that perspective plans and district health action plans were not prepared during 2005-10 and 2005-07 respectively and community participation was not ensured in the planning process.

Non-upgradation of CHCs and PHCs and non-completion of the buildings of SCs resulted in failure of providing accessible and quality health care services to the rural people.

Acute shortage of manpower in the health institutions adversely affected the availability of health care services, the CAG report for the year ended March 2010, pointed out.

Village Health and Sanitation Committee for ensuring community participation and implementation of the mission at grass root level are yet to be formed for 752 villages across the state.

The desired architectural correction in the health care delivery remains unfulfilled as vertical disease control programmes had not merged with the Mission, the report further pointed out.

Non-utilization of funds was another factor for the failure of the NHRM in the state, the report suggested, pointing out that the department failed to utilize the available resource fully thereby resulting in non-implementation of various activities of the mission and depriving the targeted population of the healthcare services.

Out of the total fund of ' 179.93 crore available during the year 2009-10, only ' 114 crore was utilized leaving a balance of ' 65.93 crore (37%) as unspent fund as on March 2010 .

The poor utilization not only reflected an unrealistic assessment of fund requirement but also exposed the limited absorption capacity by the state, the CAG report pointed out.

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