Faculty

Dr  Shanthosh Priyan S
Assistant Professor
MD Community Medicine
Regn. No.: 91270 - Tamil Nadu Medical Council

• Dr. Evakerlang Smenficia Lynshing
• Dr. Pragya
• Dr. Gracia Anderson Sohkhlet
• Dr Reena Thoudam

• Mr. Wallambok Lynrah
• Ms. Ophelia Mary Kharmujai

• Mrs. Sandhyamoni Gogoi

• Mrs. Marbiangki Shullai

Introduction

The Department of Community Medicine was started since August 2009. The Department is located in the Basic Sciences Block (Ground floor).
The Department is attached to two Rural Health Centers (Diengpasoh PHC in East Khasi Hills District and Bhoirymbong CHC in Ri Bhoi District) as field practice area of NEIGRIHMS for training of undergraduate students.

The Rural Training Health Centre (Bhoirymbong CHC) for rural posting of Intern trainees is at Bhoirymbong CHC, Ribhoi District covering a population of over 30,000 since May 2014. Earlier the RHTC was at Sohiong CHC, East Khasi Hills from March 2013 to April 2014.
The department is attached to two Urban Health Center (Laban State Dispensary and Mawlai­ Mawroh PHC) since 2008. In the year 2022, the department has acquired an urban field practice area in Nongmensong, Shillong, where an Urban Health Training Centre is established.

Infrastructure

The department has 12 rooms including Laboratory, Seminar Hall, Library and a Museum.

•  MBBS Program

  • Teaching and training of MBBS (I to VII semester & Interns).
  • Problem based learning and field visits for MBBS students in the community (rural and urban areas)

  MD/MS Program
  In the process
  Department Academic activities

  • Weekly seminar/Journal Club in the department.
  • Attending the weekly Institute Academics Program (Clinical Grand Round/CPC/Mortality Meet) on every Saturday.
  • Discussion on Research Methodology and Biostatistics once a week.

Services

• The Department of Community Medicine coordinates different NRHM activities in NEIGRIHMS, in collaboration with the Health Department, Government of Meghalaya in different capacity.
• During the Covid-19 pandemic, the department was involved with Level A screening of patients, contact tracing, IEC activities and so on.
• When Covid-19 vaccination was available in India in January 2021, the department is in-charge of the Covid -19 vaccination centre in NEIGRIHMS. Covid-19 vaccination is provided to both NEIGRIHMS staff and their families as well as to the public. On 10th December 2021, the Covid-10 Vaccination centre with the assistance of JHPIEGO was recognized as a Model Covid-19 Vaccination Centre
• The Department also collaborates with other department of NEIGRIHMS for various programmes

• The Department has been conducting regular field visits with the Under-graduate students to the field practice areas of the department for orientation and field based training of MBBS students. Students participated in various health activities of the local health institution like health talk on various public health issues in Mawpat and Pynthorbah Urban Health Centres and in Nongmensong.
• School health check up and awareness programmes were also conducted in the field practice areas.
• Epidemiological exercises on various public health issues were taken by the students as part of their learning for Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the community.
• Health at the doorstep was also provided during the field visit by MBBS students and the staff of the department as part of their family case studies and family health advisory service.
• The Department also participates in the Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization Campaign every year in collaboration with Diengpasoh PHC, Mawpat Urban Primary Health Centre, Nongthymmai Urban Primary Health Centre and Pynthorumkhrah Urban Primary Health Centre.
• The Department also participates in Village Health and Nutrition Days in different areas under Nongmensong Health and Wellness Centre and Bhoirymbong CHC
• The Department observes Important Health Days in the year like World Leprosy Day, International Women’s Day, World Tuberculosis Day, World No Tobacco Day, World Population Day, World Breastfeeding Week, World Heart Day, World Mental Health Day, Global Handwashing Day, World Diabetes Day and World AIDS Day, by conducting awareness programmes, poster competition, IEC material display and health screening programmes for the public. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the important health days were observed by sharing IEC messages via electronic media and conducting online poster competitions for MBBS students.

• The department is involved in a number of research projects, both intramural and extra mural, with funding from various organizations.
• The department also conducts trainings, workshops and CMEs in collaboration with the State Government and other organizations.

• Participated in Awareness Camp on HIV/ AIDS and Health Camp on 27th July 2013 at Mawlein-Mawkan RiBhoi district organized by Lyntijam Welfare and Development Association Nongpoh in association with National Commission for Women and NEIGRIHMS, Shillong.
• Attended the Health Awareness Camp-cum-Medical Check-up along with interns organized by Mobile Medical Unit, Health Dept. of Meghalaya, Shillong in collaboration with Shillong College, NSS unit on the 15th of October, 2013 at Nongtynger, Pynursla, East Khasi Hills.
• Attended Health camp organized by Mobile Medical Unit, Health Deptt. of Meghalaya, Shillong at Mawlali village under Jongsha PHC in East Khasi Hills 18th November 2013.
• Attended several health camps in areas like Laitkor, Bhoirymbong, Nongpoh and provided free health services in these camps.
• Attended the Health Awareness Camp-cum-Medical Check-up on 11 March 2014 under Pomlum PHC, East Khasi Hills with doctors/nurses/staff from NEIGRIHMS.
• Dr. Star Pala, Associate Professor had been regularly involved with the Healthy India program with Doordarshan Kendra Shilllong  on different issues in local Khasi language as given below.
  • April 12, 2013 Talk on Family Planning discussion with audiences
  • August 13, 2013: Talk on Population Stabilization
  • September 30, 2013: Health Education & Communcation.
  • October 28, 2013: Common diseases, Communicable & Non Communicable Disease
  • November 7, 2013: Talk on Tuberculosis
  • January 27, 2014: Phone in Live on lifestyles diseases

Training/ Workshop/ CME

• Dr. S Ahmed attended State level workshop on strengthening Menstrual Hygiene Scheme 014 on 18th-20th Feb, 2014.
• Dr. S Ahmed attended workshop on National Cold Chain Assessment 2014 under Immunization Program at NIHFW, Delhi on 27th March 2014.
• Dr. S Ahmed participated in Regional TOT workshop for Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance 2013-2014 at NICED, Kolkata from 31st March to 6thApril ,2014.
• Dr. S Ahmed attended as Resource Person in Field Training at IBBS at Guwahati on 28th April 2014.
• Dr. S Ahmed attended WHO workshop on NCD in New Delhi on 22nd-23rd May 2014.
• Dr. Star Pala attended the Zonal Operational Research Workshop for North East Zone organized by Central TB Division, MoHFW in Collaboration with Assam TB Cell at Guwahati from 25-26 November 2013.
• Dr. Star Pala, was a resource person on the topic “ Epidemiology of Tuberculosis Global & India” during the CME on RNTCP at NEIGRIHMS, Shillong held on the 18th October 2013.
• Dr. Star Pala attended the Workshop on “ How to Teach Evidence based Child Health” as Resource Person (on the topics “Systematic Review”) on the 30th January to 1st February 2014 at NEIGRIHMS, Shillong conducted by the ICMR Advance Center for Evidence Based Child Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh
• Dr. S Pala attended the National Data Analysis Plan organized by NACO at JIPMER, Puducherry (5 days) from 15th- 18th January 2014.
• Dr. S Pala had gone to RIMS, Imphal (4 days) as external Examiner from 20th- 23rd January 2014.
• Dr. S Pala attended National Conference organized by the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM) at Agartala (5 days) from 5th-8th Feb, 2014 and presented paper.
• Dr. Star Pala was Organizing Secretary for the Institute Annual Day and Post Graduate Scientific Research Presentation held at NEIGRIHMS, Shillong on 4th-5th March 2014.
• Dr. S Pala attended the workshop on Transforming Public Health Education in Health System Quality organized by MoHFW and Harvard School of Public Health JIPMER, Peducherry  10-11 March 2014.
• Dr. S Pala delivered a lecture on Descriptive Epidemiology and methods in Investigation of an outbreak at the Training of MO on VBDCP at Pasteur Institute, Shillong on 23rd March 2014.
• Dr. H Bhattacharyya participated and organized a training program on “Basics of Good Clinical Practice” along with Dept of General Medicine and CDSA in NEIGRIHMS on 28th-29th March 2014.
• Dr. H Bhattacharyya attended a short course on “How to teach evidence Based Child Health” in NEIGRIHMS by ICMR on 30th Jan-1st Feb 2014.
• Dr. H Bhattacharyya presented paper on”Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Regarding Breast Feeding, A Picture In East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya” on the annual day NEIGRIHMS on 4th-5th march 2014.
• Dr. H Bhattacharyya delivered a lecture on Biomedical Waste Management at the intern Orientation Course on 3rd Feb 2014.
• Co-ordinate and assist in the Implementation of GFATM HIV-IDU Grant Round -9, Regional Technical Training Center (RTTC) NEIGRIHMS for training of doctors and nurses working in the Targeted Intervention for IDUs in the state of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh from January 2012 till date. Three trainings were conducted in the last year on 27th-30th August 2013, 16th-19th November 2013 and 3rd-7th March 2014 respectively (participation as resource person by faculty & SRD, Community Medicine).

Research

2. Opioid Overdose: Knowledge and Practices among Health Care Providers in Meghalaya

On going

• Ongoing research:
• Effectiveness of Family DOTS provider versus RNTCP DOTS provider among newly diagnosed TB patients in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya
• Students research activities:

Community based research was conducted by the Department with MBBS students as part of their academic requirement on the the following topics:

•  Malaria
• Hypertension
• Breastfeeding practices
• Family Planning
• Tuberculosis

CME: Dept of Community Medicine in collaboration with State Task Force (STF), NEIGRIHMS had conducted a CME on RNTCP on the 18th October 2013 at NEIGRIHMS, Shillong for faculty members & resident doctors. A total of 55 doctors attended. 

Publication

1. Prof. (Dr.) Gajendra Kumar Medhi, Jogesh Sarma.Self-rated Health (SRH) among Elderly Diabetics in an Urban Setting of Assam, Indiapublished in IJHSR, 2015, 5 (10), 253-259
2. Dr. Himashree Bhattacharyya. Knowledge, beliefs and practices regarding malaria in urban setting of East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya. .  International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health | 2015 | Vol 4 | Issue 8.
3. Dr. Himashree Bhattacharyya. Opioid Overdose: Knowledge and Practices among Health Care Providers in Meghalaya. International Journal of Current Research,7 (12),23721-23724.
4. Dr. Madhur Borah et al. Morbidity status of low birth weight babies in rural areas of Assam: A prospective longitudinal study. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care (Official Publication of the Academy of Family Physicians of India) July 2015: Volume 4: Issue 3

Vision

The Department is dedicated to achieve excellence in teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students, conduct Community Based Research relevant to North Eastern region and mass awareness cum Outreach Programmes along with the state health machinery committed to the concept of healthy population