By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 19: The Dorbar Shnong of Mawryngkneng on Tuesday wrote a letter to Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh seeking her immediate intervention to address the acute shortage of staff, medicines, and infrastructure at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Mawryngkneng, which caters to the healthcare needs of the village and surrounding areas. The memorandum dated August 19, 2025, signed by Sordar Peter J Lawai along with Dorbar members, stated that the present condition of the CHC has made it extremely difficult to meet the growing needs of patients.
The letter pointed out that the centre receives around 150 to 200 patients daily in the Outpatient Department, but with only two medical officers currently posted, one of whom is on leave, the situation has become unmanageable. The staff shortage is equally glaring among nurses, where the required strength is 11 but only 8 are available.
Beyond medical professionals, there are severe gaps in support staff. Against the requirement of four Grade IV staff, only one is in position. The centre has no ward boy or ward girl to assist patients in the wards and not even a Mali to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in the compound.
The Dorbar further highlighted the absence of essential facilities such as a ramp for physically challenged, elderly, or emergency patients. The lack of adequate rooms and limited building space has also crippled the CHC’s ability to provide basic services, making an extension of the building a pressing necessity. In addition, the Dorbar stressed the urgent requirement of a trauma centre to provide immediate surgical care, particularly for accident cases that are frequently reported from the area.
Another concern raised in the memorandum was the shortage of essential medicines, especially intravenous drips and injections, which patients are often forced to procure from outside. The CHC, according to the Dorbar, also lacks basic laboratory equipment for routine diagnostic services like Complete Blood Count and Thyroid Function Test, depriving patients of timely medical evaluation.
The situation is compounded by frequent power cuts since the centre has no reliable backup system, leading to the demand for a generator to ensure uninterrupted services.
The existing ambulance was described as too old and unreliable, often breaking down and leaving patients stranded during emergencies. A request has therefore been made for the sanction of a new ambulance.
The Dorbar also urged the government to extend job opportunities to deserving local youth of Mawryngkneng village by appointing them to suitable posts in the CHC.
The Dorbar further stated that the CHC in its present form cannot cater to the rising number of patients from Mawryngkneng and neighbouring villages, and unless the government takes immediate steps to strengthen it, the people will continue to face immense hardships in accessing even the most basic healthcare services.