Special report: Part 2 of 3
From Biplab Kr Dey
BAGHMARA (SGH), Oct 27: The district of South Garo Hills (SGH) is one of the most naturally gifted regions in the country. With a population of around 2.2 lakh, the district is divided into four C&RD Blocks.
Rich in natural resources, including coal that has long filled the state’s coffers, SGH also holds historical significance as the birthplace of Meghalaya’s first Chief Minister, Capt. Williamson A Sangma.
Blessed with scenic beauty and sharing its border with Bangladesh, the district, however, remains one of the most neglected and remote parts of the state.
Decades of apathy have turned SGH into one of the least developed districts in Meghalaya, with some of the worst roads in the state — if not the entire country.
This neglect extends to the health sector, with the condition of Baghmara Civil Hospital (BCH) serving as a stark reminder of the district’s struggles. While the first part of this report highlighted the poor infrastructure of BCH, this instalment focuses on a more critical issue — the shortage of doctors, nurses, and support staff.
Reality vs appearance: Adequate on paper,
dire in reality
On paper, BCH has a total of 100 permanent employees, along with contractual and ad-hoc staff catering to the needs of patients in the district’s largest hospital. Officially, every department appears well-staffed.
Clinical Department: According to records, the hospital has 20 doctors, including a physician, surgeon, gynaecologist, anaesthetist, orthopaedic surgeon, psychiatrist, ENT specialist, eye specialist, dermatologist, five Senior Medical and Health Officers, five Medical and Health Officers, a homoeopathic physician and an ayurvedic physician.
In reality, however, BCH functions with only nine doctors — of whom only one is a specialist. “We need to have one doctor on night duty, which means the hospital functions with just eight doctors during the day. With the Outpatient Department (OPD) being essential, three doctors attend to patients daily, leaving only four to handle inpatients and emergencies. To say we are short-staffed would be the understatement of the century,” said a doctor on condition of anonymity.
At times, doctors going on leave further exacerbate the crisis. Of the 20 doctors officially listed, 11 have been deputed elsewhere — two to Shillong Medical College, one to the TB Hospital in Tura, another to Williamnagar CH, one to Rongara PHC, one to Babadam PHC (WGH), one to the District Maternity Hospital in Tura, another to Dalu CHC, two to Chokpot CHC, and one to Tura CH. None of these doctors have been replaced.
“The same doctors are doing OPD, emergency duty, USG, conducting emergency C-sections in the OT, attending VIP duties,
managing national health programmes, administrative tasks, and training. It’s insane and amazing that we’re still continuing this way without burning out,” added the doctor.
He further noted that specialists such as the ENT, Orthopaedic, and Obstetrics & Gynaecology doctors, who were earlier posted at BCH, have been transferred elsewhere, leaving just one specialist for the entire district.
“They haven’t been brought back despite the higher need for their services here, especially after the OT became operational in July this year. We’ve been communicating our shortage issues to the authorities,” the doctor added.
‘Criminal neglect’ of health sector: Activist
Social activist Greneth Sangma, who was part of a recent visit to the hospital, expressed deep shock at the neglect shown by state authorities toward SGH’s healthcare system.
“This is insane and criminal neglect if you ask me. Earlier, we received complaints from patients saying there was no one to perform sonography (USG) on pregnant mothers, and we were planning to submit a complaint to the DC. After seeing firsthand the situation faced by doctors, I’m numb. The treatment of these essential workers is shockingly out of this world,” said Greneth.
Nurses in short supply
The BCH also faces an acute shortage of nurses. The matron (nursing superintendent), who retired last year, has yet to be replaced. Currently, only 35 nurses oversee the entire hospital — 23 of them permanent and 12 contractual.
“The sanctioned number of posts isn’t enough to handle all departments. Having only 35 nurses is far below the requirement. Many come here just to get promoted, work a few months, and then transfer out. None of them want to stay due to poor infrastructure,” said a hospital source.
Despite being a Civil Hospital, BCH operates almost like a Community Health Centre (CHC), with authorities seemingly content with its current state of decline.
“This situation isn’t a one-off; it’s endemic to how the state views SGH. We have the worst roads, connectivity, and opportunities, despite being among the top revenue earners. The BCH exemplifies decades of neglect. Unless someone intervenes, we’ll continue to suffer for another 50 years. The state government must ask itself — are we aliens in our own land?” questioned Greneth.
Small relief on sanitation
Following an earlier report highlighting the lack of working toilets in BCH, immediate efforts have been initiated to construct eight new toilet units on a war footing to meet patients’ needs. Work is currently under way.
