The Nagaland Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW) made a giant step towards improving healthcare services by conducting a three-day activity from April 2 to 4, 2025. The activity was on using digital technologies in healthcare and partnered with Dr. Karthik Adapa, IAS, Regional Adviser for Digital Health at the World Health Organization's South-East Asia Regional Office (WHO-SEARO).
The conference was hosted at the IDSP Conference Hall, Kohima, by Anoop Kinchi, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary Health and Family Welfare. It was attended by senior health department officials and members belonging to a tech background. The agenda was primarily to seek out digital health solutions that are open-source, scalable, and free. These were to be used to enhance the healthcare system of the state.
Focus on Open-Source Digital Health Solutions:
On April 2, the second day witnessed a detailed discussion between the DoHFW leadership and Dr. Adapa. Central to the discussion were the integration of technologies such as electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine services, and data management platforms. These technologies were examined for their capacity to automate processes, improve patient care, and optimize the use of resources, particularly in those regions with infrastructural and financial constraints.
Dr. Adapa stressed the need to adopt standards and enable interoperability between systems, referencing that digital platform fragmentation typically impedes efficient coordination and information exchange. Additionally, stakeholders pointed to real-world challenges related to cybersecurity, regulatory climates, and digital solution long-term sustainability.
On-the-Ground Assessments and Stakeholder Feedback:
On 3 April, the delegation made field visits to two of the most important health facilities in Kohima, the Nagaland Health Authority Kohima (NHAK) and Seikhazou, Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC). Through the visits, stakeholders were able to witness existing facilities and assess how digital technologies are being used on the ground currently.
Post-visit discussions at the DoHFW saw the next focus on cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). The technologies were being researched to see how they could enhance diagnostics, patient tracking, and predictive healthcare.
In the afternoon, the delegation stopped by at Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMSR) to explore the ways digital innovations can be harnessed to integrate in medical education, research, and healthcare delivery.
Dimapur Visits End a Three-Day Agenda:
On the last day, April 4, the officials visited Dimapur to examine healthcare facilities in the city. The delegation visited the District Hospital and reviewed its operational capacity, infrastructure, and medical equipment.
The last day ended with a visit to the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR), where emphasis was laid on the role of the institution in medical research, training, and implementation of emerging health technologies.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)
