Itanagar/IBNS: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu witnessed a significant milestone today as he observed the inaugural drone flight at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Science (TRIHMS).

The event marked the launch of the "Medicine From Sky" program, which connects the hospital with the East Kameng district.

Accompanied by Health Minister Alo Libang, the Chief Minister also flagged off 100 medical utility vehicles from the hospital complex, reported Arunachal24.

During the visit, Chief Minister Khandu inaugurated Block II of TRIHMS, which now houses the newly functional Emergency and Trauma department, as well as three newly installed Tesla MRI machines. 

Speaking to officials from the state health services department and TRIHMS, Khandu emphasized that health has always been and will continue to be a top priority for the state government.

Khandu assured that the state government is fully committed to the growth and development of TRIHMS and pledged that funds would not be a constraint in this endeavor.

Addressing the issue of manpower shortage, particularly in the recently established Emergency and Trauma center, the Chief Minister promised to prioritize the matter and requested the concerned officials to submit a report for necessary action. 

However, he also expressed concern about complaints regarding a lack of sufficient doctors in district hospitals. Khandu emphasized the need for a thorough survey and rationalization of doctors' postings to address this issue effectively.

Considering the vast geographical area and sparsely populated habitations of Arunachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister acknowledged the challenges faced by the government in providing basic facilities like healthcare to the people.

He stressed the importance of sincere efforts from the health department and its officials in overcoming these challenges.

He highlighted that the first batch of MBBS students from the college had recently completed their final examinations and expressed confidence in their success. 

The Chief Minister revealed that the state government is actively pursuing an increase in the college's intake capacity from the current 50 students per batch to 100, and he hoped that this enhancement would be implemented in the upcoming academic year.

The newly inaugurated Block II of TRIHMS features various facilities, including a registration counter for outpatient departments with an attached counter for the Chief Minister Arogya Arunachal Yojana (CMAAY), new outpatient departments on the first, second, and third floors, and a ground-floor Emergency and Trauma center equipped with CAT scan and MRI units, along with a modular operation theatre has been established in the block.

The 100 health utility vehicles that were flagged off today include 22 patient transport vehicles fully equipped with necessary equipment, drugs, and consumables for basic life support (BLS) services. 

These vehicles will be manned by trained emergency medical technicians and first responder drivers.

Apart fromthis new service, the state already operates 90 basic life support "Dial 108" ambulances, which cater to emergency response transfers from homes to medical facilities. 

These 108 ambulances are also used for inter-facility transfers of critical and serious patients to higher medical centers for secondary and tertiary care services within and outside the state.

According to official records, since its launch in June 2021, the "Dial 108" ambulance service has received over 70,000 calls, served more than 7,000 critical patients, transferred 4,500 patients to higher centers, and covered a total distance of 14,08,690 kilometers.