From John K Kaping
UKHRUL, Sep 8: The Ukhrul District Hospital inaugurated in the year 1976 exists in a pathetic state although it is supposed to cater to the needs of the whole Ukhrul population of more than 1,40,000 people coming for treatment from across nearly 300 villages.
The hospital runs without power supply and there is acute shortage of doctors and other medical practitioners. The real functioning and existence of the hospital came to light when a group of mediapersons and the Ukhrul District Journalists’ Association (UDJA) interacted with some reliable officials in the department recently on condition of anonymity.
The source disclosed that the only government-run Ukhrul District Hospital runs without electricity most of the time as the irregularity of power supply is known by one and all like businesses, NGOs, institutions, government offices etc. which do not rely on the Ukhrul electricity which keeps the whole district or town in darkness. The only option left is to use inverter device and small generators that have the capacity to provide power for only one bulb for about four hours. The generator meant for the Ukhrul Hospital is still kept unused since 2007-08, the source said.
The Official sources also disclosed that there is no specialist doctor for Gynae, Ortho, Radiology and ENT. The hospital has 16 posts against the actual sanction posts of 29 staff nurses, and there is no sanctioned post of five nursing sisters. Two senior MOs are also needed but as of now there are none. The MO (juniors) is only three against the actual district sanction posts of eight. There is no steward in Ukhrul hospital and one Medical Record Technician required at the hospital is not given.
One of the most important hospital facilities i.e. Blood Bank is not functional owing to sub-standard infrastructures. The official source disclosed that the matron in the hospital has never attended office since April last and the Dental Surgeon is seen only on weekends.
As for Anesthesia Department there is no surgeon and the line office cannot function in the hospital. On the side of the Lab. Technician out of four sanctioned posts two are utilized at Imphal JNIMS along with the Lab. Assistant. The Central Sterilization Room Technician is also to be taken away from Ukhrul Hospital.
Two LDCs are required in the hospital office. There are two Ambulance Light Cargo Drivers and only one old man is handling the job overtime, the official sources asserted.
