Kohima, May 19 (EMN): Bringing to fore on the government’s apathy towards the people in remote areas of the State particularly on health sector, Wakching in Mon district with a population of 10,000 (town and village included) was reported undergoing hardship without any doctor coupled with irregularity of nurses on duty at the lone Primary Health Centre (PHC) since March 2016.
In the absence of basic facilities, medical equipments and even medicines in the lone Primary Health Centre (PHC), the people of Wakching were compelled to transport the sick to Mon town travelling 32 kms from Wakching braving the deplorable road conditions.
In a case of gross negligence of duty, it was reported that the doctor who was posted to Wakching PHC has not joined his duty till date. The released order of the said doctor issued by office of the Medical Superintendent, District Mon Hospital, dated March 30, 2017, which was made available to Eastern Mirror, stated that the concerned doctor attached to District Hospital Mon has been released with effect from March 30 to enable him join his posting place at Wakching PHC. Ironically, the concerned doctor had not join his posting place till today and not given any official application applying for leave.
Talking to Eastern Mirror, president of Konyak Union Wakching Unit, Konpa said the attempts to contact the doctor proved futile. He said the union had written to CMO Mon seeking for his intervention and the same was sent to Deputy Commissioner, Mon.
The CMO had reportedly told them to pursue the matter themselves as the department had already released the concerned doctor to join Wakching PHC. He lamented that there has been no response from any corner.
Konpa said the people of Wakching have extended all help and support in terms of food supply, firewood etc to make the stay of the doctor comfortable in return for his service to the people of the area.
With the doctor yet to join his posting, Konpa said the most affected are the sick children, who have to be taken to Mon braving the deplorable road conditions, as there are no medicines and facilities while the nurses are hardly in station.
Chairman of Wakching Village Council, Methlao bemoaned that in the absence of any good pharmacy in Wakching village, the people are going through untold miseries in the absence of the doctor and irregular nurses.
When contacted and asked if the department should initiate any action against the doctor for dereliction of duty, CMO, Mon, Dr. Umakanta Konyak said it is the responsibility of the chairman to check the activities of what is going on in the sub-centres, CHCs and PHCs.
‘From our side, we cannot take action directly until and unless we received a black and white report from the village council chairman,’ justified the CMO and said that the chairman has the right to take any action against the erring doctor.
When further enquired if the salary of the doctor should be withheld for not joining his posting place following the government’s policy of no work no pay, Dr. Konyak said the department will stop giving his salary only if they receive any instruction from the village council chairman to do so.
Dr. Chemang Paul, when contacted, said he was not able to join his posting place of some official pending works in Kohima. When enquired if he has given an official application for leave, he replied negative but that he has informed the CMO of his inability to join work immediately.
Even as the blame game continue to do round among the officials concerned, the lives of the people are left in peril as they can die from simple disease that can be cured with pills.
