Jiribam denizens demand upgrade of district hospital
Source: Chronicle News Service

Jiribam, August 29 2024: Jiribam denizens under the aegis of District Hospital Monitoring Committee (DHMC) organised a sit-in protest in front of the 50-bed-ded hospital located at Ningshingkhul on Thursday demanding the government to upgrade the lone government hospital in the district into a full-fledged district hospital with adequate staff and infrastructure.

Interacting with the media during the protest, DHMC member Ph Manteshori said that the healthcare infrastructure in the district has been a major cause of concern for the people.

Despite having the 50-bedded hospital equated to a district hospital, it has no proper infrastructure or adequate healthcare professionals.

The few doctors posted at the hospital are often left without much option to provide service due to lack of equipment and infrastructure, maintained the member.

In short, the hospital has become a referral point to other hospitals, particularly in Silchar.

It did not pose much concern in the past but following the recent escalation of violence in the district, accessing Silchar hospital has become risky as they have to travel through long stretch of Hmar and Kuki settlements, she said.

Stating that the committee has been raising the demand to upgrade the hospital into a full-fledged district hospital for a long time and met director and minister concerned, Manteshori lamented that the government has been turning a blind eye to the demand and plight of the people.

Further stating that doctors in the district construe their assignment as punishment posting and the government is also ignoring failure of doctors and other staff not reporting for duty, she recounted that in the recent past, the hospital had a hint of development with posting of a regular CMO.

However, the CMO was transferred recently and the hospital is running under a CMO in-charge.

The committee as well as the public had raised the issue with the government and demanded appointment of a regular CMO but there is no positive response till date.

Though the health services director recently assured of exploring possibilities of appointing an MS for the hospital, no process could be seen so far, she continued.

Urging the authority concerned to fulfil their demands at the earliest, the member warned of launching intense forms of agitation if the government continues to ignore their grievances.

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