Tura, Dec 16: The long sought after dream to have a hospital with specialist doctors for children and women including surgeons have finally become a reality in Garo Hills with Heath Minister James Pangsang K Sangma inaugurating Garo Hills first ever Sub Divisional hospital at Jengjal on Thursday.The hospital will be run by the famous doctors from Vellore Christian Medical College who are part of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission.

The SDA Mission in Garo Hills is already running a successful nursing home at Jengjal for over four years providing specialised treatment and care in the field of Pediatrics (children) and Gynaecology (women) saving many lives through their hi tech medical care.Health Minister James Sangma who took it upon himself to ensure the opening of the hospital for the benefit of health care of entire Garo Hills was in high praise to the doctors of CMC Vellore.

“We have seen for ourselves the kind of service and human touch given by the SDA doctors of CMC Vellore. There was no doubt in our minds that we needed to partner with them to provide the much needed health care,” said James Sangma.

He announced that this new hospital would provide free medical care for all patients in line with government hospitals and within three months, by March 2022, it will transform from the current 10 bedded into a 50 bedded hospital with more specialist doctors in different departments.

“Even surgeries like Laprascopy for gall stone and kidney stones will soon begin operation and there is more good news as we have just been informed that as many as 50 specialised doctors from abroad tying up with the SDA Mission to come and serve the people of Garo Hills in this hospital,” announced Health Minister James Sangma.

He even announced that a specialized Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for Pediatrics is going to be set up at this hospital for supercare treatment for vulnerable infants.

There is also a proposal to set up a trauma centre at the hospital because Jengjal is a tri-junction through which the national highway passes through and frequent road accidents happen.

The Health minister also paid homage to Late Nokma R B Marak who provided the much needed land for the hospital free of cost for the benefit of the people of Garo Hills.

The initial plan was for 50 bighas for a ten bedded primary health centre but looking at the future, James Sangma who is also the Dadenggre MLA, approached the late nokma for additional 25 bighas of land which was immediately given by the headman who wanted to see a transformation in health care in the region.

Director of National Health Mission Ram Kumar S, who also came for the inaugural programme, termed this event as an exciting time for health care in the region.He informed that the new hospital will also be a referral centre for special medical care and even a training centre.Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh said that this new hospital will help to bring down the high rate of infant mortality and maternity mortality condition in Garo Hills.

“This is a game changer and in time this hospital will transform into a 100 bedded hospital,” added Singh.