Ao Students’ Conference stages rally in Mokokchung over healthcare crisis at Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital, threatens further agitation

Members of AKM along with Ao Senden and Watsü Mungdang during the public rally in Mokokchung on Saturday.

• MOKOKCHUNG — The Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) organised a public rally on Saturday at Town Square (Police Point) in Mokokchung to protest the state government’s failure to address the acute shortage of doctors, medical personnel, and technicians at Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital (IMDH).
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• The rally follows repeated representations and ultimatums to the Health department for neglecting the hospital’s staffing crisis and growing frustration over healthcare access in Mokokchung.
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• The rally drew support from Ao Senden and Watsü Mungdang, who delivered solidarity speeches, and was attended by student bodies from the six Ao ranges.
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• AKM President Lanutoshi Aier said that on January 31, the organisation had submitted a formal representation to the principal director demanding the immediate replacement of transferred medical specialists and the filling of vacant positions at IMDH.
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• The 150-bed hospital, which requires 25 doctors as per Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), currently operates with only 15 doctors, he said.
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• Aier noted that the hospital has been forced to hire 24 non-medical personnel—including ICU nurses, plumbers, electricians, and even traffic police—using its own resources to meet operational demands. Additionally, five lab technician posts remain vacant, exacerbating the situation.
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• “The shortage of doctors has led to the suspension of regular outpatient department (OPD) services,” he said, emphasising that IMDH serves not only Mokokchung but also patients from neighbouring districts. Back then, AKM had demanded that the department fulfil staffing requirements within 30 days, a deadline that expired without action.
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• Following the government’s inaction, AKM issued a seven-day ultimatum, highlighting critical shortages in specialised departments like Obstetrics & Gynaecology (Obs & Gynae) and Anaesthesia. “There is only one gynaecologist at IMDH, handling around 3,958 cases in the last 11 months. When the doctor is on leave, it becomes a huge burden, especially for the downtrodden and patients from neighbouring districts,” Aier asserted.
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• On March 14, a day before the rally, a committee set up by the principal director had convened a meeting at IMDH conference hall with AKM, Ao Senden, Watsu Mungdang, and hospital officials in the presence of DC Mokokchung. However, the meeting ended in a deadlock, according to AKM.
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• The committee assured that an anaesthetist and a doctor transferred from TB department would be replaced after procedural formalities, but no solution was offered for the gynaecologist shortage. Authorities cited a state-wide scarcity of specialists and stated that replacements could only be recruited through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
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• AKM criticised this response, pointing out that no NPSC recruitment advertisements have been issued since 2021 due to ongoing court cases, a delay that could extend four to five years.
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• “This prolonged wait will push IMDH and other district hospitals into a deteriorating state,” Aier warned. He added, “We clearly told the committee that unless there is a timeframe and written assurance, our agitation will continue.”
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• The AKM also distanced itself from the minutes of the March 14 meeting, refuting claims of agreement with the committee. Responding to the deputy commissioner of Mokokchung, AKM clarified that its representatives’ signatures on the meeting documents were merely attendance records, not endorsements of any resolution.
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• When asked about potential resolutions, Aier hinted at a possible compromise: “If there is a timeframe and written assurance regarding the gynaecologist factor, there may be a way out.” However, he said that the next phase of agitation would begin on March 17, signalling an escalation if demands remain unmet.
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• Ao Senden Vice President Aowati, addressing the rally, stressed that quality healthcare, infrastructure, education, and communication are government responsibilities. “When villagers seek treatment at IMDH and find no doctors, what’s the point of a hospital? It serves multiple districts, yet patients face immense challenges due to shortages,” he said.
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• Criticising the government’s focus, he added, “The public follows laws; the government must deliver services. Mokokchung’s healthcare crisis demands accountability.”
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• Watsü Mungdang President Arenla Longkumer echoed these sentiments, expressing frustration over prolonged inaction. “We’ve been patient, but the suffering persists. Our elected representatives, in whom we placed our trust, should raise our voices in the Assembly, yet there’s no progress,” she said.
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• The leader lamented IMDH’s stagnation: “As one of the oldest district hospitals, it should meet national or international standards by now. Instead, the public bears the burden.”