Assam: Model hospital in Jorhat's Saraibahi area a boon for rural folk

In order to develop proper health infrastructure, especially in the far-flung rural areas of Assam, a new model hospital is being constructed at Saraibahi area of Assam's Jorhat district under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to ensure that the people have access to health services.

Saraibahi area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Titabor sub-division of Jorhat district, comprises nearly 25 villages with a total population of over 40,000.

Most of these villages have to depend on a few dispensaries for their basic healthcare needs.

However, the construction of a new model hospital has come as a major relief as the people will not have to go to big towns anymore to avail better treatment.

The basic objective of constructing such model hospitals in the state is to provide quality healthcare facilities to people residing in the remote areas.

"Most of the people living in this area are poor. It is difficult for us to take patients to far off places for treatment due to financial constraints. The government's decision to construct this hospital will be of much benefit for poor people like us," said Dinesh Borah, a local in the area.

"I believe that once the hospital is complete, the people in this area will benefit a lot. We do not have any proper hospital over here and people face problems because of that as they have to travel long distances for medical facilities," added another local named Bishnu Prasad Baruah.

The Government of Assam is trying to provide better healthcare facilities to people residing in rural and interior areas by establishing model hospitals. It has decided to construct 55 new model hospitals under the National Rural Health Mission. Around 35 hospitals have already started functioning.

The government plans to build four model hospital in Jorhat of which one is already complete and the rest three are under construction.

These hospitals with a capacity of 30 beds will be equipped with all the modern amenities as per the Indian Public Health Standard.

D.C. Jorhat and Chairman NRHM, Jorhat District, Vishal Vasant Solanki said, "The Bhogamuk model hospital the work is already completed but it will take sometimes to function fully. There are two more model hospitals which are under construction."

"Gohargoan and Nabaru these are under construction we are trying our best to expedite the construction work and we hope that all these model hospital will be fully functioning in the coming year,' he added.

While there are good hospitals in cities like Jorhat and Guwahati, they do not cater to the needs of the rural people.

A large proportion of the rural population is deprived of advanced healthcare facilities and has to travel long distances to avail basic medical service.

Such model hospitals are a boon for these people, who can now have modern health care facilities within their reach.