Lack of regular gynecologist in Wokha district hospital irks ailing womenfolk

The lone doctor specializing in women health in Wokha town attends to duty only two days a week

Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 9  

Health care for women, in particular maternal health, has become a matter of inconvenience for the ailing womenfolk of Wokha town and the surrounding villages. With growing awareness on the importance of health and the need to consult a doctor specializing in their issues, most of the women are particular of visiting a gynecologist instead of a general doctor to receive treatment.  

There is only one gynecologist in the whole of Wokha town. The gynecologist is posted at the Dr. Motsuo Memorial District Hospital, Wokha town, who is however ‘insensitively irregular,’ according to the reports from women folks The Morung Express interacted with.  

The lady doctor in concern apparently travels from the state capital Kohima and attends duty for only two days of the week- Thursday and Friday. This was also independently confirmed during interaction with a number of patients who were waiting for the gynecologist at the district hospital.  

Women patients wishing to avail medical treatment are compelled to wait for these two particular days of the week for the doctor to turn up, even if it happens to be a case of emergency. The most affected are those related to maternal health, which refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.  

Besides the government district hospital, there are a handful of clinics and nursing home in Wokha town. However none of these have a doctor specializing in women’s health. This was revealed by a woman leader from Tsumang colony who did not wish to be named. She pointed out that with the government hospital offering cheaper treatment, at least 70% of the patients make a beeline to the government hospital.  

The situation faced by the womenfolk in Wokha is as complex and sensitive as their health. Women with maternal health issues are more inconvenienced by the irregularity of the doctor. And majority of the health-care seekers coming from the surrounding villages cannot afford to go beyond Wokha town to avail medical services.  

“The lack of a regular doctor on duty is literally like asking a pregnant woman to wait for the doctor to arrive during childbirth,” the leader from Tsumang colony said, equating the situation of how women face instances where “the waiting game can be fatal or life threatening.”  

There are many life-threatening situations that women regularly face when it comes to reproductive matters; she pointed out, for instance, diagnosis on whether a normal delivery or only caesarian is possible during child birth, bleeding during pregnancy, family planning issues etc.   The concern for a regular doctor for women’s health was also voiced out by the Lotha Eloe Hoho, the apex women body of the Lotha community.  

“We have even apprised the Lotha Hoho on this matter- that there should be a gynecologist who is regular on duty at the district hospital,” Mhonchumi Humtsoe, President of Lotha Eloe Hoho told The Morung Express.  

She reiterated that the present doctor who was posted at the district hospital came for duty only two days a week and this was not helping, particularly during emergency. “For other health related issues, a patient can be referred to other doctors, but when it comes to women’s health-one second can save life-or end life,” Mhonchumi stated.  

“And if the doctor specializing in women’s health is to come only on routine basis, then the government should post at least two doctors at the hospital to attend to the women patients coming in for check –up and treatment,” the Lotha Eloe Hoho President suggested.