Imphal, February 19: The stark differences between the hill and the valley districts in terms of medical facilities made available to the people, are apparent from the fact that the number of doctors in the hospitals and various other health care units located in the hills are dismally lower in comparison to the valley districts.

The available statistic shows that more doctors are being concentrated in the valley districts.

The number of doctors working in seven Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centres located in the hills, is equivalent to the strength of doctors working in a Community Health Centre in the valley, according to a reliable source.

Comparing the number of doctors available in the valley and the hill districts, the source enumerated that there are in all 15 doctors in the CMO, Imphal office (both Imphal East and West), four doctors in CACC, seven doctors each in the four Community Health Centres namely CHC Wangoi, Sagolmang and Sekmai and over 100 doctors in 19 primary health centres, 1 urban health centre and 12 primary health sub-centres.

On the other hand, there are four doctors in Chandel CMO office, five doctors in District Hospital, four doctors in three Primary Health Centres, two doctors in Primary Health Sub-Centres, six doctors in Urban Health Centre (ADC Moreh) and one doctor in Primary Health Sub-Centre.

In Bishnupur CMO office, there are in all 7 doctors, 17 doctors in District Hospital, 9 in Moirang Community Health Centre, 8 in Nambol Community Health Centre, 12 doctors in the five Primary Health Sub-Centres and one doctor in the only PHSC, according to the source.

On the contrary, in Ukhrul district, there are six doctors in the CMO office, 14 doctors in the District Hospital, two doctors in CHC (Kamjong) and one doctor each in the six PHC and two PHSC.

In case of Tamenglong district, the total number of doctors including those working in CMO office to those in the Primary Health Centres is equivalent to the number of doctors in five PHC of Thoubal district, the source said, adding that with exception to Churachandpur district, the number of doctors in all the other hill districts is inadequately low.

Disclosing that the total number of doctors attached to State Health Department is 37, the source pointed out that the number of doctors in the Department is more that the combined number of doctors posted at Chandel and Tamenglong districts.

Besides there 32 doctors attached to Home Department, one in Raj Bhavan, five in MACS, four in WHO and 2 in Delhi and 57 doctors in Family Welfare Department, the source said.

Drawing comparison between hospitals located in the hills and the valley districts in term of distribution of medical personnel, the source informed that there are one Medical Superintendent, one Additional Superintendent, six Medicine Doctors, seven Surgeons, seven Gynaecologists, seven Paediatrics, four Orthopaedics, five Ophthalmologists, four ENT doctors, four Anaesthetists, four Dermatologists, four Neurologists, five Psychiatrists, five Pathologists, three Biochemist, two Microbiologists, two Radiologists , six Dentists, one doctor in the Blood Bank besides 26 others doctors in the Casualties.

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