ROOPAK GOSWAMI
Shillong, April 23: An assessment of primary healthcare facilities in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills has revealed a mixed picture, with most centres delivering essential services but struggling with serious gaps in infrastructure, medicines, and diagnostics.
The study, conducted under the India Primary Health Care Support Initiative (IPSI), evaluated 34 Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and found that the district’s overall service readiness stands at 70 out of 100, indicating moderate preparedness but significant room for improvement.
While access to healthcare services appears to have expanded, with around 76% of HWCs reporting that they provide all 12 mandated service packages—including maternal care, child health, and communicable disease management—the report highlights that availability does not always translate into effective delivery on the ground.
Basic infrastructure remains a major concern, particularly in a predominantly rural district where these centres are often the first point of care. Only 55% of facilities have access to safe water, and just 37% have separate functional toilets for men and women. Infection control measures are also weak, with limited availability of essential items such as waste segregation bins and sharps containers.
A critical shortfall in essential medicines and diagnostics further undermines healthcare delivery. The study found that only 13% of facilities had all essential medicines in stock, while a mere 3% were equipped with the full range of required diagnostic services. Even where services are officially available, the absence of medicines and testing facilities restricts their effectiveness, raising concerns about the quality of care being provided.
On the staffing front, the situation is relatively better, with about 75% of facilities meeting the prescribed norms. However, key vacancies persist, particularly in positions such as staff nurses and lab technicians at Primary Health Centres, as well as frontline health workers at sub-centres. These shortages continue to affect service delivery, especially in hard to reach areas.
The study also points to disparities in service readiness across different healthcare areas. While pregnancy care and management of communicable diseases showed high readiness levels with score of around 92/100, services related to neonatal and infant care, childbirth, and children’s health lag behind.
Interestingly, the centres are better equipped to provide services for high BP and sugar. Newer service areas such as emergency care, palliative care, and ENT services performed poorly, with ENT care registering a readiness score as low as 34.
This indicates that while traditional public health priorities are being addressed, the system is yet to fully adapt to expanding healthcare services.
Interestingly, the report notes that most healthcare providers have received adequate training across service areas in the past two years, suggesting that the challenge lies less in human capacity and more in the availability of resources and infrastructure.
For a state like Meghalaya, where difficult terrain and limited connectivity already constrain access to healthcare, the readiness of local health centres is crucial.
The findings underline a key reality: while healthcare services have expanded to reach rural populations, strengthening the quality and capacity of these facilities remains an urgent priority.
Also Read: 6th Assam Equestrian Meet begins in Dibrugarh, to prepare riders for 2027 Shillong National Games
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
