Only one doctor for 2,000 people in Tamei area
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Tamenglong, June 29 2014:
Owing to the apathetic attitude of Manipur Government, a single medical doctor assisted by three nurses have to shoulder the whole responsibility of taking care of the health of more than 2,000 people in Tamei headquarters of Tamenglong district.
One has to take a 70 km-long journey from Senapati district's Kangpokpi along the inter-village road to reach Tamei headquarters.
Tamei is a subdivision located in the north of Tamenglong.
The lone Public Health Centre (PHC) at the Tamei headquarters has remained ignored by the Government for quite a long time, leaving it with only one medical doctor.
This neglected PHC was inaugurated and dedicated to the people of Tamei area by Chief Minister O Ibobi on February 8, 2006 .
Although the PHC has a total of eight staff members, including one doctor, three nurses, two lab technicians, one chowkidar, three attendants and one computer operator, it is not viable for the lone doctor to take the responsibility for providing healthcare to the whole population.
Other hamlets like Kabolam, Kawalong, Lamlaba, Tuilong, Lenglong, Khonpung and Dingkuram in Tamei area do not have health care facilities at all, but the inhabitants have to depend on the PHC.
However, Lenglong has one redundant Public Health Sub-Centre (PHSC) .
A PHC should provide round-the-clock health care service to the people under its jurisdiction.
This imperative remains just a dream for the denizens of Tamei area.
Deprivation of adequate medical staff, infrastructure and other equipments has made the PHC at Tamei headquarters almost for years.
A PHC must have at least six doctors and four nurses, but the one at Tamei area has one doctor named Sudhir Laishram from Khurai Lairikyengbam Makha Leikai in Imphal East district and three nurses.
This is despite the fact that the PHC has to cover people living in more than 20 hamlets.
Two lady Ayush doctors posted at the PHC have not returned after they reported for duty in December last year.