FATYCM concerned over lack of medical facilities in hills
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, August 04 2013:
People in the hill districts of Manipur, particularly the poverty-stricken section are facing hardships to access medical care and treatment owing to scanty amount provided to the health sector under the state Directorate of Tribal Affairs and Hills.
Expressing concern about the healthcare system in the hill, the Federation of All Tribal Youth Clubs, Manipur (FATYCM) said Sunday funding of Rs 25 lakh for the health sector under Tribal Affairs and Hills is very little amount.
Difficulties while accessing to medical treatment faced by the people in the hill are really disappointing with the increasing of fatal diseases like cancer and other illnesses that required huge spending, it said.
The federation said that the Tribal Affairs and Hills spends Rs 3 crore in the Animal Husbandry while a meagre amount for the more important health sector for the 9 lakh people of the hill and asked the wisdom of the department over making such a big imbalance.
It urged the Government to increase the amount for the health sector to cope with the present situation, which the federation described as really discouraging.
Only one ambulance van service provided to the whole population of the hill by the department that was set up in 1990 is not acceptable, it added.
The mortuary van-cum-ambulance service is operated by its lone driver Guno Singh with his tireless service since 2003.This service, a concept project of the Medical Section of Tribal Affairs and Hills, Manipur, is one of the most public demand schemes of the department since its launching in the year 2003 .