Shillong, Oct 5 (PTI) Meghalaya is reviewing the availability of health facilities in remote areas, Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said on Monday, days after an infant died in West Khasi Hills before reaching a hospital.
The infant died in the mother’s arms while she trekked for nearly three hours to reach a motorable point, from where the child could be taken to a health facility.
The incident has highlighted the difficulties faced by residents of remote areas in accessing timely medical care.
Shylla said the government was examining the distribution of health facilities to ensure people in remote villages do not have to travel long distances for treatment.
“Now we are coming up with a study regarding the presence of medical facilities, to make sure that villagers should not travel very far to reach services,” he said, adding that the exercise would take some time.
Shylla said the child was brought dead to the health facility and that the incident was primarily a connectivity issue. He said several areas in the state continue to face difficulties in reaching healthcare facilities.
The minister also said the health department had not been informed about the case before the child was brought to the facility.
The family had not contacted health officials or the local ASHA worker, he said.
The government is working to improve road connectivity as well as emergency transport in hard-to-reach areas, Shylla said. A proposal has been made for 4×4 ambulances to operate in such areas.
He said the government could not address road connectivity in isolation and was pursuing development on multiple fronts, including healthcare access and transport.
“It is the endeavour of the government to give connectivity in each and every village. We cannot prioritise only road connectivity because everything has to be done simultaneously,” Shylla said.
“We are sincere in our commitment. Most areas we have been able to connect; more projects are coming, and we are trying our level best to ensure connectivity reaches hard-to-reach areas,” he added. PTI JOP RG
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