Stretchered sick youth awaits surgical operation
Financial woes compound suffering
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 22 2024:
Wangtangkhaibou Pamai (33), the youth from Nallong Village in Tamenglong who was taken to Peren district in Nagaland for treatment on a makeshift bamboo stretcher a few days back has been admitted to Referral Hospital in Dimapur.
Though people from the State going to other States for medical treatment is not uncommon, admittance of Pamai to a hospital in Nagaland tells another story as it indicates a great deal of the inconveniences being faced by people in remote villages of hill districts of Manipur in seeking treatment facilities.
Pamai sustained head injuries on October 16 after falling from a 12 feet height while taking part in the construction of a Church at his village Nallong.
Pamai has been admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital and the doctor advised that he needs to undergo a surgery.
Pamai, however, hasn't undergone the surgery due to financial constraints.
Notably, Nallong is a village under Tamei Sub-Division in Tamenglong mostly inhabited by Liangmai people in Nagaland border.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, NK Sinlibou, former chairman of Nallong Village, said that Pamai was taken to Dimapur for treatment as there is no health centre in nearby areas of the village on the Manipur side.
He said that transporting Pamai to Peren district on a makeshift stretcher took about six hours.
A passenger vehicle was hired after reaching Puilo Village in Peren and Pamai was taken to Referral Hospital in Dimapur, he added.
Saying that an operation is required to treat Pamai as per the doctor, Sinlibou added that Pamai, however, hasn't undergone the surgery as the family cannot afford the bill.
Pamai has four sons.
About the problems being faced by the people of Nallong, the former village chairman said that the road connecting Tamei and Nallong is in pretty bad shape and it causes serious inconveniences to the villagers.
Nallong Village which is inhabited by about 500 people belonging to the Liangmai tribe is situated more than 100 Km from Tamei.
He went on to state that the road construction work being carried out under PMGSY has reached Kuilong Part-III but the remaining portion remains in miserable conditions.
Saying that they usually hire Bolero (pick up vehicle) to go to Tamei or other places whenever there is rain, he added that they also walk upto Tamei which takes not less than two days if they cannot afford to hire a vehicle.
Further stating that there is not a single hospital or a health centre close to their village, Sinlibou said that people of Nallong village always go to Nagaland whenever they need medical attention.
The sick people are taken to Nagaland on a makeshift stretcher, he added.
He went on to say that giving birth at home with the help of ASHA workers or people who have experience in delivery is a common phenomenon at the village though it poses risks to the mothers and the babies as there is no health centre nearby.
On education, Sinlibou said that there is one Government upper primary school at the village.
Saying that the school has four teachers, he added that the actual work of teaching is being done by the substitutes of the teachers.
Most parents send their children for higher studies in Nagaland or at Tamei, he maintained and added that sending their children to far off places, however, is financially distressing to them.
The former village chairman also said that the village doesn't have any source of electricity/power other than the solar panels distributed by the Government about five years back.
Some electric posts have been erected but they still are not functional, he added.
Stating that most of the solar panels have become defunct and there is no workshop to repair them in the nearby area, Sinlibou maintained that the villagers haven't used other electronic items such as Television set in these days of technology other than mobile phones.
Further, he said that there is no water supply at the village and the villagers pump water from Nthengju River which is situated about 4 Kms from the village for drinking and other requirements.
Continuing that most of the villagers at Nallong are farmers, he said that marketing their produce is difficult due to myriad factors.
People get the benefits of Government schemes such as MGNREGS and PMJAY health cards but the cards were made by officials from Nagaland instead, he said.
Stating that most people of Nallong village are poor, he expressed desire for the Manipur Government to take up necessary steps and address their grievances.
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