Dimapur, June 11 (EMN): Although the government has supposedly completed the construction of the proposed 100-bedded district hospital in Mon, the reality appears to be far from the truth.
A statement issued by the All Konyak Frontal Organisation (AKFO) on Tuesday claimed that the hospital is not equipped with the necessary facilities and resources and has poor infrastructure. A sum of INR 21.26 cr., which was invested in this project under the National Health Mission (NHM) has not been used judiciously according to the Detail Project Report (DPR), the statement read.
It stated that the hospital is grossly under-staffed with “only 65 regular staff managing the entire work in three regular shifts daily.” It also claimed that under the Special State Plan, a sum of INR 1 cr. was sanctioned for the hospital last year but was ‘diverted.’
Moreover, the Supreme Court has decreed that no operation can be performed in a hospital without an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Since the hospital lacks an ICU, patients have to be referred to Naga Hospital in Kohima, which is 300 km away, it stated.
The hospital is also without proper diagnostic facilities, ill-equipped with mortuary unit equipments and does not have the proper infrastructure to facilitate patients requiring the use of elevators and ramps, the statement read.
The AKFO also claimed that only 23 “low quality” air conditioners have been installed so far from the projected 90 Mitsubishi air conditioners as proposed in the DPR. It further stated that “only 800 litre of water storage had been installed” when in fact the “contractor/supplier should have installed storage capacity of 40000 litre, given the vital need of “maintaining and keeping the hospital clean.”
Memorandums have been submitted to the prime minister’s office, union minister concerned as well as to the chief minister of Nagaland, urging them to consider their grievances and asking for “immediate rectification failing which the District Hospital, Mon cannot go ahead with the inaugural programme and the Konyaks will be compelled to file a public interest litigation (PIL) for action and justice”, the statement read.
The inauguration of the ‘upgraded’ Mon district hospital has been scheduled for June 27, to be solemnised in the presence of the chief minister of Nagaland, it informed.
