Agartala, April 20 (TIWN): Despite implementation of several social security schemes, about 35 percent children below 3 –yrs of age have been suffering from malnutrition, experts opined recently in a seminar in Tripura University.

Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, a former health administrator while talking here on health issues tribal in Rural Development and Management department of Tripura University stated that 46 percent children age below 3 –yrs are underfeeding in the country and figure is quite similar in northeastern states mostly tribal infested habitation.

“Not only children about 65 percent women against national average of 56 percent have been suffering from Anemia in Tripura. The literacy among is equally low at 44 percent against the national average of 57 percent,” she stated.

Mrs Ghosh however, rued over the expansion of health infrastructure in Tripura and pointed out that the figure of community health centres (CHC) and primary health centres (PHC) in the state are convincingly high but there are severe shortfall of doctors that ultimate affecting the health service in rural areas.

“As per record, there is 100 percent shortfall of Gynecologists and Pediatricians in CHC level in Tripura. CHCs are especially meant for mother and child health care besides, preventive activities of other diseases prevalent at community level,” Mrs Ghosh stated adding that the state is also suffering from shortage of female health assistants.

To mobilise community as a whole for healthy practices of living, she suggested using health coupons/vouchers to incentivize wellness and compliance along with ‘no claim bonuses’.  

Entire Northeast is prone to cancer and tobacco related diseases where health coupons and wellness incentives might be the option to motivate people to stay away from such diseases.

“No smoking and no gutka voucher or coupon for compliance in respect of household having toilets and personal hygiene among the hill-living people will work well in Northeast besides, strengthening institutional infrastructure with basic minimum facilities,” Mrs Ghosh added.

Supplementing the proposals, Advisor of North Eastern Council Dr Bamin Tada said that centre has given emphasis to build up full capacity both clinical and non-clinical in existing infrastructure up to CHC level, instead of creating more and more hospitals in interior areas of the region.

Dr Jayanta Choudhury, scholar of tribal health issues and Assistant Professor of Tripura University stated that in terms of statistics Tripura has sufficient number of CHC and PHC buildings but in case of health service in the hospitals even at the state referral hospital is also appeared much below than the average.

“Sufficient doctors, paramedical staff and basic infrastructure for diagnose the disease at the CHC level is most important for Tripura. We found CHCs, PHCs and sub-division level hospitals are simply referring the patients to district and state hospitals without diagnosis and treatment that increased unbearable pressure in upper level hospitals. As a result, even in the government medical college patients are sleeping on the floor,” Dr Choudhury commented.

He further attributed that mother and child care units even in the medical colleges in Tripura have been found most neglected. Expecting mothers and after delivery, mothers are staying in most crowded and unhygienic condition in the hospitals that ultimately affecting the health of new born babies, he added.