IMPHAL, Jan, 27: The senior opposition leader, O Joy Singh has send his official representation to the Union Minister of Health, Government of India, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is also the chairman of the governing body, Society of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal RIMS for the implementation of the infrastructures at RIMS in order to deliver proper health care facilities to the people of the region in general and the people of the state in particular.
In an official representation to the Union Health Minister submitted today by the senior opposition leader mentioned the happiness and jubilation of the people of the NE states in general and Manipur in particular, when a medical college under the title of Regional Medical College, now called the Regional. Institute of Medical Sciences was established in Imphal, way back in 1972.
It also mentioned that, the college and the hospital was doing very well both in imparting medical education and in providing health care to the people of the region. Then again when the college was taken over by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI, people were looking forward to an institution of excellence. It was the hope of the people that the facilities and standard comparable to the status and service of AIIMS, New Delhi will be at their door step and were very pleased and happy.
It is also mentioned that while it is not worthwhile to comment on the academic performance of the Institute, the patient care services of the Hospital has alarmingly gone down during the last few years. Frequent reports on the Institute are appearing in the newspapers for all the wrong reasons. Standard facilities are not available in the hospital and if available, are either not fully utilised or not utilised at all. The ICU which must have been established at a huge cost is said to be under-utilised either because of the sheer unwillingness of the doctors to spend time there.
While further reminding on the importance of the ICU it has further quipped on how many lives have been lost because of the non-functioning of the ICU. It has further represented that the alleged negligence and non availability of specialized Doctors around the clock in the various wards of the hospital have led to many inconveniences and sometimes to untimely deaths of patients who could habe been saved with timely attendance of the doctors.
Besides, laboratories and other diagnostic departments are other areas which are causing deep concern for the public. Most of the tests, even for the ward patients are advised to be done in private clinics and laboratories. Instead of relying on the standard of its own laboratories which are manned by the most qualified persons, if the number of professors in each departments with fat pay packet any index of competence, the doctors insisted on doing the tests in private laboratories. This practice of the Institute has compounded the woes and expenses of the patients.
But by far the most important factor in lowering the public confidence of the hospital is the poor service of the doctors and other paramedical staffs. Generally they lack compassion and willingness to communicate with patients and anxious relatives. The emergency service in the casualty is in complete disarray. Timely care and intervention could have saved many of incidences of the acrimony between the public and staff. It may be argued that such incidences occurred even in the best centres. True, but it is occurring once too often.
The senior opposition member has further appealed to the Union Minister to improve the facilities and service of the Institute and has further requested to order an appraisal of the performance of the Institute by an Expert Committee with particular reference to the above stated matters in public interest.
It has also questioned whether the facilities and equipments being provided at the institute is adequate and in conformity with the standard of an Institute of excellence.
The MPP senior member has further appealed the union minister to check if there are any deficiency of service by the doctors and nurses in the delivery of patient-care, with particular reference to cases where there had been accusation of negligence.
The committee may be asked to submit recommendations to improve the services and facilities in the Institute, to fulfil the expectation of the public to a great extent and restore public confidence the official representation added.
