The team at the Behiang PHC. Telegraph picture

Imphal, Oct. 26: The Manipur Behiang physical health centre on the India-Myanmar border has started functioning as a round-the-clock PHC.

On Friday, led by Ginsuanhau Zou, Singhat MLA, a high-level official team, including Okram Ibomcha director health services-cum-mission director National Health Mission (NHM) Manipur, Lunminthang Haokip deputy commissioner Churachandpur, Samson Sheiro additional director health services Manipur, Thangchinkhup Guite chief medical officer of Churachandpur, Rajiv Irengbam state programme manager NHM, Arun Meitram Unicef consultant and several officials visited the PHCs at Behiang, Singhat and Zezaw under Singhat subdivision of Churachandpur district for improving healthcare services in interior places.

According to Ibomcha, the health department and the state health mission will ensure that required infrastructure, equipment and manpower will be provided to the PHC as the health centre is located at the remotest corner. People from Myanmar also visit the centre for treatment. So there is a potential for medical tourism from the neighbouring country.

As there was no MBBS doctor, the PHC was unable to provide efficient healthcare services in this interior region though PHC Behiang is located on the India-Myanmar border. Two MBBS doctors have now been posted to make it operational round the clock.

Ibomcha also assured that as the demand of healthcare services increases three additional doctors will be posted which will enable the PHC to provide best healthcare services.

Ibomcha also installed an ultrasound machine for the convenience of pregnant women at the PHC. The medical officers who are posted at Behiang PHC were also trained to use the ultrasound machine. A generator, a water storage tank and medicines were also given to the PHC at Behiang.

During the team’s visit, a free medical camp was set up that provided medicines to villagers.

Ibomcha said an initiative would be taken up for surgery camps in the interior places of hill districts for gynaecological cases.

After a gap analysis done by the Unicef team, it came into Ibomcha’s notice that people in Behang prefer childbirth at home. The practice of institutional delivery is very low. Therefore, with the objective to strengthen the Behang PHC as a “delivery point” the visit was conducted in coordination with different line departments and the local MLA.

The National Health Mission has prioritised the hard-to-reach areas of the state. Special focus is being given to inaccessible and interior places particularly in the five hill districts of the state.