AMK urges govt to improve general healthcare services
Kohima, September 12 (MExN): The Angamimiapfü Mechü Krotho (AMK) on Saturday asserted that the Government of Nagaland and the Health Department cannot continue to ignore the health care provision for poorer section of the society suffering from other ailments.
The COVID-19 crisis has exposed many shortcomings in the infrastructure of health care delivery in Nagaland, the AMK stated.
The AMK voiced concern over the absence of a ‘decisive strategy’ to provide general healthcare services to the poor, especially in Kohima, despite being several months into the COVID-19 crisis.
It alleged that poor patients are being forced to seek health care in private hospitals which is beyond their means.
While the authority of NHAKhas been informing about resumption of services since September 3, except for the shifting of the sample testing center from NHAK, there seems to be no resumption of general public health care services at NHAK, it said.
The AMK also said that only OPD services without emergency services continue to be operational at the Para-Medical Training Institute (PMTI).
“The care and control of COVID-19 should continue but not at the cost of other patients,” it maintained.
The AMK had earlier expressed concerns about the lack of emergency and in-patient care services in government establishments for poor patients involving not only the pregnant mothers seeking normal delivery or caesarean section, but also those in need of other emergency conditions including cancer care and patients requiring dialysis.
The AMK had earlier asserted that it was upon the Government to ensure that no lives are lost for want of services in the district hospitals.
Highlighting the incident of a patient who had died in the OPD at PMTI, the AMK said that it was further learnt that the health care services at PMTI is not equipped to deal with such emergencies.
“This incident has exposed a very tragic inadequacy and unpreparedness of the Government healthcare facility,” it said.
It questioned the delay in the resumption of public healthcare delivery service in NHAK.
“This is not to vilify any individual in position of authority, but accountability should be fixed and the concerned authority and the Government must ensure that no further lives are lost for want of health care facility or lack of decisive planning to provide appropriate health care facility for the poorer section of the society,” the AMK asserted.
It further added that it is time for the government to roll up its sleeves and try to rectify what it has neglected for so long, and improve the health care infrastructure and facilities across the State.
