Health service in shambles in Garo Hills
Editor,
The news item on the arrest of an Ayurvedic doctor, prescribing allopathic medicines and the subsequent closure of the clinic and pharmacy raises many fundamental issue about the state of affairs of health in Garo Hills. Many laboratories have mushroomed in and around Tura and nobody knows the genuineness of such laboratories and whether the technician is a trained personnel. Also questionable is whether these laboratories have the required infrastructure and equipments to conduct various tests as advised by doctors. Many medical stores do not have valid licences but are allowed to function because the Drug Inspector receives monthly cuts from the shop owners who spoke on condition of anonymity. Pharmacies elsewhere in Garo Hills also function on the same ground rules of monthly cuts to the Drug Inspectors as claimed by the owners.
Even since the outbreak of lesser known diseases like Chikungunya, the Medical Specialist of Tura Civil Hospital is not available to patients on a regular basis. He is busy attending to patients regularly at his private chamber. The staff and doctors have questioned the appointment of a Specialist who is not available for consultation at the Government hospital. Another shocker is the absence of a gynaecologist in the Maternity and Child Hospital Tura. One wonders why despite the appointment of two gynaecologists in the said Hospital, they are not available on a daily basis and for surgery cases. On enquiry it was found that these doctors are busy at private hospitals, even during hospital working hours. They are not available for consultation. Is the Medical Superintendent in-charge doing her rounds to check who is present /absent during duty hours? Such vigilance is mandatory on the part of the Head of Institution so that the general public who cannot afford private treatment also receive the best health care.
All the pharmacies in Garo Hills violate the code of conduct. They sell medicines without prescriptions. This happens because of lack of vigilance on the part of the concerned authorities. All the Restricted Premises Licence holders are allowing doctors to sit in their chambers, solely for the benefit of the Pharmacy. Is the District Authority so weak or too blind to see what is happening in Garo Hills? Rules are rules everywhere and the same should apply to every pharmacy, whether it belongs to a minister or his chamchas. Even during the recent scrutiny of pharmacies one prominent pharmacy remained open near Tura Civil Hospital in spite of closure notice because of influential connections. It is learnt that the laboratories were inspected on earlier occasions and reports submitted to the then Deputy Commissioner but so far nothing is done to remove /close or improve such establishments. We urge the concerned authorities to take stringent action against pharmacies, laboratories and doctors as well, even as the general public wait for a Good Samaritan to turn things around.
Yours etc..
J.S. Marak
Tura.
Wanted better public transport facilities
Editor,
Through your esteemed daily, I would like to draw the kind attention of the concerned authorities in the matter of Public Transport Services in and around Shillong City. It is learnt that around 5000 local taxies ply within the city. But the problems faced by commuters still exist. It is seen that local taxis do not carry passengers from Barik to Laitumkhrah, Laitumkhrah to Dhankheti, Fire Brigade to Laitumkhrah etc. because of shorter distance and hence lower rates @ Rs 5 per head. Instead, they carry passengers to far off place where the rate is Rs 10 and above. This causes lots of inconvenience to the commuters.
In view of this, the Government should seriously think of plying regular and more buses under JNNURM scheme, the earlier the better, as it would ease the plight of commuters. Also there should be regular bus services from Nongthymmai to Garikhana, Laban, Motinagar etc. covering the entire Shillong town.
Yours etc.,
Debojyoti Kar
Shillong 793014