TURA, Feb 8: The medical department in Garo Hills is in the firing line after two doctors posted in a rural primary health centre (PHC) of South Garo Hills were found missing when victims of an accident were brought for treatment on Saturday night. One of the accident victims later succumbed to his injuries.
The Garo Students Union has blamed the absence of the doctors for the lack of treatment leading to the death of the victim.
The accident occurred near Pathargittim in Nangalbibra region of South Garo Hills when a Bolero camper plunged into a ravine around 6 pm. Locals managed to bring out two grievously injured men – Bitash K Sangma (60) of Nangalbibra and Jabi M Sangma (65) of Mahadeo.
They were rushed to the nearest medical centre, the Pathargittim PHC, but there were no doctors available.
“When they reached the PHC, it was found that both the medical doctors were absent and thus, due to lack of basic medical aid, one of the accident victims died on the PHC premises,” said Sewa S Marak, president of the GSU Nangalbibra unit in his union’s complaint letter to the government.
It was left to the head nurse on duty to provide first aid to the victims before referring them to Williamnagar.
Besides the missing doctors and lack of adequate facilities, there reportedly was no ambulance at the PHC to rush them to Williamnagar Civil Hospital, the nearest major medical centre located in neighbouring East Garo Hills.
Demanding stern action against the two missing doctors, the student union further alleged in their complaint to the deputy commissioner that both medics have left station without intimation on several previous occasions also.
“Strong punitive action has to be taken against them,” demanded the GSU.
While senior medics acknowledge that one among the two doctors should have been manning the station, at the same time they maintain that little can be done in a rural PHC where medical facilities are to its bare minimum due to lack of investment in proper infrastructure by successive governments.
This is the second road accident to claim lives in the last one and a half months. In the first week of January, six passengers, three women and three children, lost their lives when their speeding vehicle rammed into a stationary truck that had broken down on the road. The victims were returning home from a traditional New Year dance programme.