Six doctors yet to report for duty at Ukhrul district hospital
We are in dire need of healthcare requisites: CMO
Source: The Sangai Express

Ukhrul, May 11 2021: Even as Ukhrul district is also reeling under the rapidly rising number of Covid positive cases, serious questions have been raised on whether Ukhrul District Hospital (UDH) is well equipped to meet the challenges of the time.

Talking with this correspondent, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), of Ukhrul, Dr Kapangring A Shimray said that seven (7) doctors were transferred from UDH on April 12 and in their place six (6) doctors were named to join the district hospital but they are yet to give their joining report till today.

Two transfer orders to UDH were issued for the doctors, the first on January 27 and the latter one on April 12 this year.

The failure to report for duty has been officially intimated to the Health Director, said the CMO and added that he is hoping for a positive response.

Doctors refusing to report for duty during this critical juncture is unacceptable and the State Government should address the issue on a priority basis, said Albert Shaiza, a social worker.

"What we need right now includes specialists in anaesthesia, sinology, orthopedics, blood bank, surgery etc but amongst this we immediately require an anaesthetist as no operation can be performed without anaesthesia," said one doctor who refused to be named.

The Ukhrul district hospital is currently a 50-bedded hospital with a capacity to expand to 100 beds.

Even here the work for 50 beds is yet to be completed.

While UDH is supposed to have 30 doctors (21 Specialist doctors and 9 Medical Officers), it is currently functioning with just 15 doctors, i.e.8 medical officers and just 7 specialist doctors.

The ill equipped district hospital plus the lack of adequate man power has forced many to travel to Imphal for treatment, which means a lot of extra cost for the poor people.

Absence of a Blood Bank clearly shows the negligence and the ECG and Ultrasound equipment though installed have no one to man them, said a source.

Meanwhile, the Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long (TMNL)/Tangkhul Youth Council has urged the six doctors who have been transferred to UDH to report for duty within May 15 .

In a statement, TMNL said that the six doctors have not reported till date, which is unfortunate.

Expressing concern, TMNL condemned the negligence of the doctors amid the alarming COVID-19 situation in the State.

The TMNL also appealed to the authorities concerned for immediate suspension of the six doctors in the interest of the public if they fail to report for duty on or before May 15 .

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