MOKOKCHUNG — The Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) has demanded immediate
replacement or reinstatement of transferred medical specialists and the
fulfilment of vacancies at IMDH, Mokokchung, within 30 days.
The statement from AKM follows a surprise inspection at IMDH
on January 30, which revealed that the hospital is in a dire state due to
severe manpower shortages.
In a letter to the principal director of Health and Family
Welfare, the AKM stated that the hospital has been forced to appoint 24 personnel—including
ICU nurses, plumbers, electricians, and traffic police—using its own resources
to meet operational demands. Additionally, five vacancies for lab technicians
remain unfilled, exacerbating the crisis.
The student body highlighted that the shortage of doctors
and medical personnel has significantly hindered the hospital's ability to
provide comprehensive care, forcing many patients to seek medical assistance
elsewhere at great financial and emotional expense.
Citing the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), the AKM
pointed out that a 150-bedded district hospital should have adequate medical
manpower, including specialists and support staff. However, the transfer of
four medical specialists from IMDH without replacements has left the hospital incapable
of providing critical care. Despite previous appeals to the department, only
one replacement has been made, which the AKM deemed “grossly insufficient.”
Terming such negligence as unacceptable, the AKM demanded
immediate action to deploy new medical specialists or reinstate the three
medical specialists who were transferred on July 23, 2024 within 30 days.
Furthermore, it called for the appointment of additional
medical and paramedical staff to fill all existing vacancies in strict
adherence to IPHS guidelines. It also demanded assurances that further
transfers will not be executed without prior replacements.
The AKM warned that failure to address this issue within the
stipulated time frame would compel them to initiate mass agitation to demand
the healthcare services rightfully entitled to the people.
“Any further delay will be interpreted as an act of
negligence, and we will hold the department accountable,” it cautioned.
