Dimapur, July 25 (MExN): The Chang students Union, Tuensang has asked the Nagaland Governor to redress the grievances of the people of Tuensang district who 'cannot avail even the most basic of health facilities.'
Asserting that Tuensang district is one of the most backward districts in Nagaland inhabited by five most backward tribes with a population of 1/6th of the total population of the state, a letter to the Governor stated that almost 85% of the populace are poverty stricken and comprise of illiterate cultivators.
“There is only one civil hospital that caters to the medical needs of the remotest far-flung areas of the district. However, the 100 bedded civil hospital that caters to the poorest of the poor which is supposed to have around 15 to 20 doctors both general and specialists, is presently being run by only 4 dedicated doctors with no proper medical facilities like no medicine, no equipments, using only their rudimentary knowledge, deductive minds and intelligence to cure the sick” stated the letter issued by Ao Yemen Chang, Advisor to the CSU. It pointed out that “the poor illiterate patients who can’t go for outside treatments are being made guinea pigs due to the callous attitude of the department causing many unnecessary deaths in the process” and that “it is no wonder that in spite of their best humanly possible efforts many lives have been lost for want of qualified specialist doctors, medicines and state of the art medical equipments.”
The letter, asserting that that the mortality statistics of the Hospital is “so appalling and high that any sane person would be shocked” stated that the primary health centers of Chare, Chimonger, Tsadanger, Mangakhi, Angangba, Kuthur and Pangsha doesn’t have doctors. “We are not sure whether doctors have been posted there or yet to be posted. We feel that the Government should also reward those dedicated doctors of Tuensang and other remote areas for their commendable execution of service to humanity and to the downtrodden people. For they are the ones who are actually adhering to the Hippocratic Oath in spite of much personal hardships whereas some of their fellow brethren seems to have taken the Hippocratic oath” the advisor stated.
“Had the Government of Nagaland and the concern department adjusted the sanctioned posts of doctors, specialists and GNMs because it is not needed and required in Tuensang District and needed elsewhere or the posts have been abolished altogether? Is it the prerogative of the concern department to play with the life of Human beings for whose welfare the very department has been set up? Or is it because the Humans of Tuensang district seems to be semi-human, illiterate and backward hence are relegated to the position of second class citizens? Isn’t it a gross violation of human rights as the department is seen to be playing with the lives of human beings? And we would also like to know when the diagnostic centre which is supposed to have already been set up in the year 2003 going to see the light of the day?” it asked.
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