Thoubal District Hospital remains closed for six consecutive days
Source: The Sangai Express

Thoubal, August 03 2018: Following the damages caused to the properties of the Thoubal District Hospital by the enraged mob of Khangabok and relatives of deceased child Kh Zeplin alias Mathoi, who was drown and fished out by the locals of Khangabok from a pond on July 28 and later declared brought dead by the doctors of the hospital after the boy was referred for examination, Thoubal District Hospital remained closed for the last 6 days causing major inconveniences to the.

people of Thoubal district and villagers of Khangabok in particular as easy alternatives are not available in the area for treatment.

Public started raising questions on the closure of the hospital for these many days even though an MoU has been signed between the JAC and the top officials of Health Department in a meeting convened by Health Ministry L Jayantakumar at his office.

While urging the authority concerned to solve the present crisis and let the hospital open to restore the normal function in the interest of the public, some section of public cautioned that intense agitation may be launched to take effect their demands.

They also rejected the initiative taken by some staffs of the hospital to open OPD and Emergency service at CMO Complex on temporary basis saying that the infrastructure and the medical equipments are not adequate to accommodate the number of patients.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that many doctors and staffs of the hospital turned up at the previous District hospital at CMO office Complex, Thoubal Wangmataba to attend the visitors however, they were not able to discharge their duty as the old district hospital is not in a condition to treat visiting patients.

According to a reliable source, it is reported that OPD may be opened at CMO office Complex, Thoubal Wangmataba for the convenience of the public on August 6 (Monday).

However, while speaking to the media persons, CMO Dr Jayantakumar and Superintendent Dr Hemanta said that they don't receive any confirmation from the Director and Health Minister regarding the proposal of opening OPD at CMO office Complex.

Dr Hemanta further said that a police case has been filed in connection to the damages caused to the hospital while adding that many costly medical equipment were destroyed in the mob attack which has caused inconvenience in running the hospital efficiently.

Mention may be made that in the MoU signed between the JAC and officials of the Health department, it has been decided that punishment will be awarded to the alleged doctor as per the findings of the report to be submitted by an inquiry committee comprising a team of police and officials of health department within a week while monetary assistance will be extended to deceased family to meet the expenses needed to perform shrada of the deceased boy.

Lastly, it also agreed that Medical Department will try its best to upgrade District Hospital Thoubal into a "State of the Art Hospital" to stop such unfateful incident repeating in the future.

Further, in the MoU it was also agreed that the JAC will not be held responsible for damaging the properties of the hospital while injuring some doctors during the agitations.

In the aftermath of the vandalism, a sit-in-protest was also staged at Medical Directorate, Lamphel, by the staff of Thoubal District Hospital against the attack on doctors and causing destruction to the hospital assets by the family members and the locals over the death of a child on July 28 .

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