Tsuvili Sema.
Nurse Tsuvili Sema’s 35-Year Journey of Healing
Tokavi K Zhimo
Zunheboto | September 14
From a small village in Zunheboto to becoming one of the most respected and experienced nurses in the district, Tsuvili Sema’s story is one of perseverance, compassion, and quiet sacrifice. Now 59 years old, she is set to retire in April 2026 after serving in the medical field for 35 dedicated years.
Tsuvili was born and raised in Rotomi village under Atoizu subdivision, Zunheboto district. After her marriage, she became a resident of Lumtsami village, her husband’s native place, and currently lives adjacent to Hezukhu Memorial District Hospital in Zunheboto, where she has been serving for more than three decades.
Her journey began in humble circumstances. Coming from a financially challenged family, she started her education at Rotomi Primary School, then attended Akahaito Government High School up to Class 8. She completed her matriculation from Atoizu Government High School.
“I wanted to pursue engineering at Khelhoshe Polytechnic, Atoizu,” she recalls. “But my father had a different vision for me. Despite the financial difficulties, he wanted me to become a nurse and serve others, especially the poor and needy.”
In 1987, she went to Kohima to appear for the state nursing entrance examination, along with 1,900 other candidates. Unable to afford staying in Kohima while waiting for the results, and with no access to mobile phones or proper communication facilities, she returned home.
“I later received the news through Hokhevi, a kind man from Naghutomi village who was working in the Treasury Office in Zunheboto. He wrote a letter informing me that I had been selected. I still remember the joy and disbelief I felt.”
She stayed at her brother Toniho’s house in Kohima before beginning her training. Hokhevi and Khutoshe accompanied her to Kohima and dropped her at the nursing hostel, traveling via NST bus. She completed three years of rigorous nursing training and officially began her service in April 1991.
Her first posting was at Kiphire District Hospital, where her very first assignment became an unforgettable experience.
“I was asked by Dr. Samuel, our Sub-Divisional Medical Officer, to attend to a woman in a village nearby who had just given birth and was in a critical condition. She was a relative of a minister. The baby was fine, but the placenta had not been expelled, which could have been fatal. I reached the house at 6 a.m., prayed, and carefully removed the placenta. Thankfully, she survived. I returned home only at 10 p.m. that day.”
Soon after, she learned of a nurse vacancy at Hezukhu Memorial District Hospital in Zunheboto. Wishing to serve in her home district and be closer to her family, she applied and was transferred. She has served there ever since, choosing to remain even when offered promotions that would have relocated her to other districts.
“I declined those promotions. I wanted to stay close to my family and serve my own people. That was more important to me.”
Over the course of her career, she has assisted in over 3,703 childbirths and spent 15 years working in the operation theatre, supporting many experienced doctors and specialists. Her time in the hospital has been marked by steady dedication, humility, and kindness.
The COVID-19 pandemic, she says, was one of the most difficult chapters in her career.
“We used to only hear about such outbreaks, but during COVID-19, we were on the front lines. Many people passed away. It was a time of grief, fear, and sacrifice. But we continued to serve.”
Tsuvili also reflects on a deeply personal experience during her nurse training, when she fell seriously ill and lost her voice for four months.
“Those months taught me what it means to suffer. I experienced what patients go through—confusion, pain, silence. After that, I made a promise to myself: I would never speak harshly to any patient. I would be loving, kind, and understanding.”
Throughout her career, she has mentored many young healthcare aspirants, especially in first aid, which she believes is essential in every household today. She has also been a strong advocate for community cleanliness and hygiene, having seen firsthand how poor sanitation contributes to disease.
She recalls how the hospital used to be surrounded by thick vegetation.
“When I first came, the hospital compound was like a jungle. Every Saturday, we had to carry out social work—cutting grass, clearing bushes. Today, the hospital environment is clean, developed, and organized.”
She has witnessed many changes in medical practice too.
“We used to boil glass syringes in big pots on kerosene stoves, clean and dry them on plates. Now everything is single-use. Life has become much easier and safer.”
During the olden days, we used to fetch water from the stream or river, but now the entire hospital is connected to a running water system. Now our hospital is well-maintained, with proper labels, oxygen supply, and wall clocks. In the olden days, we didn’t have sufficient oxygen cylinders, and with the few cylinders we had, we had to drag them to the patients who were very serious. She encourages the young youth who are in the medical field to be humble and know God through their education.
When there is no doctor, nurses play a very vital role. She recollects the years when hospital beds were in a deplorable condition—some of them on the verge of collapse. Now, the hospital has the best quality beds and enough beds to accommodate more people, through the help of Z. Kasheto Yepthomi, Class 1 Contractor, Dimapur, through the Association of 41 Clubs of India and Round Table India Trust, on July 24, 2021.
One of the most impactful developments in her hospital, she says, was the introduction of the Nurse Fellowship.“It changed lives. Many staff who were struggling with addiction to tobacco or intoxicants turned their lives around. It gave us strength, unity, and purpose.”
She recollects a poem she once read during her studies, “Death the Leveller,” stating that death is inevitable—whether you are a doctor, nurse, scientist, rich, or poor. Everyone is going to die one day. “Life is a journey towards the grave,” she stated. “Life is precious, so we have to be humble and try to bow to the grassroots level.” She also added that marriage is good, in her observation. “Life is costly.”
As her retirement nears, Tsuvili says she looks forward to a quieter life.
“After all these years, I want to spend time with my family and be a full-time homemaker. I have served with all my heart. I thank God for guiding me throughout this journey.”
