Imphal, June 24: Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today said the state is preparing to open a composite checkpost with a food-testing laboratory at Moreh town to check the food items imported from Myanmar.

"It will lead to a dangerous trend if the food items being traded in the state, especially those from Myanmar, are not checked and lab tested," said the chief minister.

"At least a food safety officer and subordinate staff, along with food-testing equipment, is required at every district headquarters for the purpose. The Moreh centre will require two to three officers. The food safety officers will be recruited soon after appointing Manipur Public Service Commission's chairman," he said.

Ibobi Singh was addressing a function for the inauguration of a food-testing laboratory, an integrated Ayush hospital, a state family welfare training centre and a new building of the medical directorate at different areas in Lamphel here.

The cost of the food-testing laboratory will be Rs 1.2 crore. It is being launched at a time when the state is trying to tackle the issue of marketing unsafe food, said an official.

With the inauguration of the integrated Ayush hospital, the in-patient service of Ayurveda, yoga naturopathy and homeopathy has been formally launched.

Minister for health and family welfare Phunjathang Tonsing said, "The hospital has 20 beds now and will have 50 beds soon after completion of the new buildings."

Tonsing said the Centre sanctioned Rs 8 crore for the construction of the family welfare training centre and the state government will to build a hostel for nursing students. The cost of construction of the medical directorate building was Rs 8.7 crore and that of the Ayush hospital was Rs 9 crore.

Ibobi Singh said the health sector is one of the priorities of the government. Specialist doctors are posted for two months in rotation in remote areas of the hill districts. "However, it is sad that there are some who don't want to go to the remote areas," he said.

The cabinet had decided to convert the 50-bed hospitals being constructed in the hill districts to 100-bed ones. The government had also decided to establish a medical college in Churchandpur district, the chief minister said.

Saying there is shortage of specialist doctors and medical officers, and that there are more than 200 vacant posts for Scheduled Tribe doctors, the chief minister appealed to specialist doctors to cooperate with the government when they are posted in the hill districts. "If the doctors and employees in the medical department are dedicated and sincere, we can surely reach the goal we want to achieve," he said.