48-hour Jiribam shutdown

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 7 : District Hospital Monitoring Committee, Jiribam has called a 48-hour shutdown in Jiribam district which would come into effect from today's midnight in protest against the Government's apathy in fulfilling the requirements of District Hospital Jiribam.
Speaking to the Sangai Express, the convenor of the monitoring committee formed by various CSO's of Jiribam district, N Sadananda said that the hospital is facing shortage of staff and equipment and above these the honorarium for outsourced staff has not been provided yet.
The people of Jiribam are having a hard time without adequate medical staff including x-ray and ultrasound technicians and as such emergency cases including child delivery and accidents are mostly referred to medical facilities in Cachar and Silchar.
The hardship has also compounded as COVID-19 crisis persists and the nearby hospitals Assam has desist receiving patients or medical cases, he continued while mentioning that an expectant mother almost died recently but was saved after a hospital in Cachar allowed admission.
He further said that TB patients are being forced to buy medications on their own expense due to lack of TB Centre in the district.
The situation in the district is also grim as hospital staff outsourced for utilization at scanning booths and COVID Care Centre have ceased to work as their honorarium has not been provided yet when people in need for COVID-19 tests are lining up for their turns.
He also expressed concern that only one nurse is being employed to look after the COVID isolation ward.
In view of all these and in protest against Government lack of interest, it was decided to call the shutdown, he said while even warning of an economic blockade along NH-37 if the committee's demands are not fulfilled at the earliest.