Arunachal Pradesh: Steps to Make Health Services Better
Arunachal Pradesh is located in northeast India and holds the most north-eastern position among the other states in this region. It is the largest among the North East Indian states. It is the 14th largest state in terms of area (83,743 sq km) and 26th largest in terms of population in the country.
Arunachal Pradesh is located in northeast India and holds the most north-eastern position among the other states in this region. It is the largest among the North East Indian states. It is the 14th largest state in terms of area (83,743 sq km) and 26th largest in terms of population in the country. It is divided into 17 districts within five regions. The state reported a GSDP of R5,666 crore for the year 2013-14. In this year’s awards, the state won the Order-of-Merit in the Health category. There is an existing network of primary health care in the state. However, there are very few secondary health care facilities and no tertiary health care facility. This gap has been sought to be filled by the APCMUHIS universally and equitably under the leadership of Nabam Tuki, Chief Minister, Arunachal Pradesh.
Key Achievements
The SKOCH Order-of-Merit in Health was given to the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Arunachal Pradesh for The Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s Universal Health Insurance Scheme (APCMUHIS). APCMUHIS is a flagship programme of the State Government to provide universal cashless health insurance up to R2 lakh on floater sum basis per household per annum. The project was launched on 20th February 2015 and total enrollment of eligible households has crossed 86 per cent of the total 225,128 eligible families.
The state and central governments have both offered huge fiscal and policy incentives for the development of thrust sectors in the state. Some of these policies include Public Private Partnership Policy 2011, the State Industrial Policy 2008 and the Hydro Power Policy 2008. No economic system can attain a balanced development without a participatory political system and good governance. Hence, a good Public Distribution System should be strengthened to cover all people living below the poverty line. An expansion of the health services in the remote areas of the State is also being contemplated. Ultimately, it is the quality of the governance that guides the social, economic and political relationships.