Ukhrul, June 24: District Hospital, Tamenglong in Manipur‘s remote Tamenglong district is on the brink. A fact-finding visit by several civil bodies of the district to the 100-bedded hospital found out severe healthcare crisis, plaguing the lone hospital of the district.
The visiting team found that the district hospital is facing severe challenges of manpower shortage. Out of the 221 sanctioned posts, 167 posts, including 43 doctors and 72 paramedical staff remain vacant.
As per the findings of the team, essential services were found nearly non-functional — with no pediatricians, no surgeons, no radiologist or ICU staff. Only 12 doctors out of the 54 sanctioned strength and 17 nurses out of the required 48 are manning the hospital currently.
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Leaders from Oinamlong village also raised their voices, stating that only one doctor is posted for the entire highway region, and transferred doctors are never replaced — leaving communities completely unserved, the joint civil bodies said in a statement.
The joint civil bodies further stated that a joint memorandum would be submitted to the Governor with a clear ultimatum. “Should the government fail to act within a reasonable timeframe, we will launch a public agitation in defense of the people’s right to healthcare,” the statement added.
The joint visit was carried out on Monday following the initial fact-finding visit by Joint Tribes Women Association (JTWA ) on June 13. The team included leaders from Joint Tribes Women Association (JTWA ), Inpui Naga Union (INU), Rongmei Naga Council, Manipur (RNCM), Liangmai Naga Council, Manipur (LNCM), Zeme Naga Council, Manipur (ZNCM), Village Authority Chairman Council (VACC) and Chairmen and Secretaries Association, Tamenglong (CSAT).
Meanwhile, speaking to the Media Dr Majachungliu, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) said the hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including ultrasonography, X-machine, blood bank, dialysis facility, Intensive Care Unit, and Operation Theatre. However, due to manpower shortage, the benefits of these facilities could not be fully realised, the CMO lamented.
The District Hospital, Tamenglong is located at Duigailong village, 3 KM away from the district headquarter. It was upgraded from 50-bedded hospital in the year 2017 and has been upgraded to a 100-bedded hospital in 2019.
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