Tamenglong District Hospital In Grave Shortage Of Manpowers (Doctors), Infrastructures And Other Equipments

By: Ringbam Kamei
Editor, The Gaanphiu Mail

Tamenglong District Hospital, the only hospital in Tamenglong District was functioning in a worn out building (before shifting to the newly constructed building) without proper infrastructure, Shortage of required Manpower, equipment and other basic requirements. Even after shifting to the newly constructed Building, everything remains the same except for the building. Due to the lack of basic medical facilities, many precious lives were lost. It can be recollected that on the 12th of September, 2017 a pregnant mother was referred to Imphal Hospital by the concern Tamenglong District Hospital authority since there was no specialist as well as facilities for complicated delivery in Tamenglong District Hospital, the mother deliver a baby on the way to Imphal after risking her life from various types of infections.   After struggling with the sub-standard Tamenglong District hospital facilities for many good years, the construction of new 50-bedded District hospital at Tamenglong District which is now upgraded to 100-bedded hospital gave a new hope for the general public of the District. The hospital was moved in to the new building on 26th of October, 2017 and Inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur Shri N. Biren Singh on 15th of November, 2017. However, it was just the same old wine in the new bottle with no other required infrastructure, equipments and required number of Doctors. Recently, on the 30th of September, 2018,  a class VI (6) boy studying in Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya, Tamenglong was referred to Imphal Hospital after being bitten by snake since the Tamenglong District Hospital could not afford to have even an anti venom. The boy’s whole body was completely swollen due to the delay in required medication. He is currently undergoing treatment in Imphal Hospital.
The new upgraded 100-Bedded Tamenglong District Hospital is facing lots of infrastructure challenges, shortage of Doctors, lack of necessary equipments and other basic amenities. The data of present condition of Tamenglong District Hospital as per the official information received from CMO of Tamenglong District Hospital is highlighted vividly below in a table in the interest of the general public of Tamenglong district.
Further, newly transferred six (6) doctors to Tamenglong District Hospital are undergoing P.G. course which exposes the insincerity on the part of the Manipur Government in depriving the needed services for the wellbeing of the Tamenglong Public.  It is also observed that the new Tamenglong District Hospital is poorly ventilated and the drainage system is not safely maintained which has a high risk of breeding many types of diseases. As per the Indian Public Health Standard (IPHS), there should be dedicated parking space separately for ambulances, hospital staff and visitors, there should be no stagnation or overflow of drains, there should be no water logging/marsh in or around the hospital premises and there should be no open sewage/ditches in the hospital.
It may also be recalled the many assurances made by the Manipur state government which was publicized on the 13th of September, 2017 by the then Deputy Commissioner Shri. Armstrong Pame, IAS during the incident where a mother had to give birth on the way to Imphal. It was assured that old machineries and equipments to be replaced was already ordered by Chief Medical officer, Tamenglong but it will be placed only when the hospital is shifted to the new upgraded 100-bedded hospital at Duigailong Village since there is no space in the old 50-bedded hospital. However, all the rusted hospital beds are still in used and many of the old equipments are yet to be replaced.
As per the 2012 revised guidelines of Indian Public Health Standard (IPHS) for District Hospital of 101-500 bedded, the approach road should be all weather motorable road and it should be illuminated in the nights but the approach road of Tamenglong District Hospital is in a dilapidated condition. The road is hardly motorable which causes a great inconvenience for the commuter especially while transporting the patients. When the matter was enquired upon by The Gaanphiu Mail, even the CMO office could not disseminate the required information which is a serious concern for the general public.
The existing sub-standard of the Tamenglong District Hospital is a great threat to the lives of many people living in Tamenglong District. In many instances, the District Hospital continue to remain as referral centre since there is hardly any specialist doctors and other required facilities to treat the patient in many cases. Unfortunately, women and children are the constant victim of non-availability of basic medical facilities in the Tamenglong District Hospital.  If the matter has not been addressed on time by the concern authority (Health Department), it is feared that many precious lives will continue to wither especially that of women and children because of medical negligence.

1. The required column is as per the 2012 revised guidelines of Indian Public Health Standard (IPHS) for District Hospital of 101-500 bedded.