February 12, 2002

'31'

    A three-day Pariwar Kalyan Swasthya Mela was opened at Ravangla on Monday. Ravangla, a sub-divisional headquarters in South District Sikkim, is situated between the Menam and Tendong peaks. Inaugurating the Mela, the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Pawan Kumar Chamling announced that a 500-bedded hospital would be constructed to provide specialized medical treatment to the people of the South District. The Chief Minister said that though Sikkim's infant mortality rate of 49 per 1,000 was well below the national average 72, further improvement was needed. He called upon the people to adopt family planning methods for keeping the population rise under check. The Population of the State, which is 5.5 lakh, is projected to rise to 11 lakh by 2050.

    According to the Director of the State Department of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Layden Ongmoo, about 100 doctors from different disciplines have been deployed for 40 stalls at the mela. Arrangements have been made for treatment of patients of ENT, TB, Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Cancer and cataract. Counselling for various family welfare programmes are also available at the mela.

    On the opening day, 41 NSV (No Scalpel Vasectomy) cases and 30 Tubectomy operations were conducted. Ten wheel chairs, 100 hearing aides and 50 crutches were distributed to handicapped persons.