Shillong, Sep 21 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Monday inaugurated the extension of the District Maternity and Child Hospital in Tura, increasing the facility’s total capacity to 150 beds with the addition of a new 50-bed wing.
The expanded hospital features Garo Hills’ first public Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), an upgraded Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), a dedicated oxygen plant and residential quarters for medical specialists, officials said.
Speaking at the inauguration, Sangma said the expansion would improve access to timely and specialised maternal and newborn healthcare for people across the Garo Hills region, reducing the need for patients to travel outside the area for treatment.
“The expansion of the Tura facility will strengthen our capacity to provide specialised care to mothers and newborns and ensure that people can access quality healthcare closer to home,” he stated.
Sangma highlighted improvements in Meghalaya’s maternal health indicators, noting that maternal deaths in the state had declined by more than half over five years, from 244 to 107. He said the expanded hospital would further strengthen the state’s ability to provide specialised healthcare services for mothers and newborns.
The facility has also been aligned with the state government’s Mission 1,000 Days, an initiative focused on maternal health, nutrition and child development from pregnancy through the first two years of a child’s life.
The Chief Minister said the project marked another step towards improving healthcare infrastructure in Garo Hills and complemented ongoing efforts to enhance connectivity, infrastructure, livelihoods and opportunities for residents.
He dedicated the expanded facility to the people of Garo Hills, describing it as an important addition to Meghalaya’s public healthcare infrastructure.
The new facilities are expected to support the delivery of specialised neonatal and maternal care while strengthening the region’s healthcare capacity. The inauguration comes as the state government continues to focus on improving healthcare services and infrastructure, particularly for mothers and children.
The addition of the NICU, upgraded newborn care facilities and specialist accommodation is intended to improve the availability of critical healthcare services within the region.
–IANS
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