Healthcare services across Manipur were thrown into disarray today as the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, suspended all operations following a violent assault on a senior consultant. The Teachers’ and Medical Officers’ Association (TAMOA) announced a complete shutdown of outpatient departments (OPD), emergency care, routine surgeries, and post-mortem examinations (PME) in protest.
The institute, usually bustling with patients, stood eerily silent as hundreds—including those who had travelled from remote districts—were turned away without treatment. The ripple effect of the strike extended beyond RIMS, with several private hospitals across the state halting services in solidarity. However, Shija Hospital’s Trauma and Emergency wing remained functional.
Inside the RIMS campus, doctors, nurses, students, and staff staged a powerful protest, holding placards that read: “If We Bleed, You Bleed,” “No Safety, No Healthcare,” and “Implement Laws Against Violence on Doctors.” The demonstrators demanded urgent legal reforms to protect medical professionals from rising incidents of violence.
In a related development, the body of Yambem Sanjoy from Bamon Kampu Mayai Leikai—who died at RIMS—was transferred to JNIMS for post-mortem under an agreement allowing family presence and video documentation. However, family members were reportedly barred from witnessing the procedure, prompting them to seek intervention from the Deputy Commissioner.
The incident has sparked outrage across the medical community, raising serious questions about safety, accountability, and the fragility of healthcare infrastructure in the region.