Hek visits accident victims at Tura Civil Hospital
SHILLONG: Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek has sought a report from the Medical Superintendent of Tura Civil Hospital on the non availability of the driver of the ambulance placed at Garobadha primary health centre and also the absence of a doctor at Garobadha.
The unauthorized non availability of the driver meant that the ambulance could not be utilized to ferry victims, who met with an accident at Garobadha on Friday morning, to the health centre.
It has been learnt that the driver had not turned up for the last two days.
A school student was killed and over 20 other people, mostly women and children, injured when the public bus they were travelling in lost control and dashed against the roadside before turning on its side at Modupara in Garobadha on Friday morning.
Following the accident, there were angry protests by members of the public after it was found that the ambulance placed at Garobadha primary health centre could not be utilised to ferry the injured since the driver was missing from duty.
Angry protestors pelted stones and damaged the ambulance lying idle at the health centre.
Several student and social organizations have also taken strong exception to the alleged absence of doctor at Garobadha primary health centre.
Meanwhile, Hek on Saturday visited the victims of the road accident.
The Minister visited five of the victims admitted in the different wards of the Tura Civil Hospital, accompanied by its Superintendent, Dr. Minakshi Sangma, South West Garo Hills DMHO, Dr. Kona Sangma, besides other doctors and nurses tending to the victims.
The Minister enquired about the condition of the victims and was told that all the five victims were out of danger, while two other critically injured have been referred to Guwahati.
Hek comforted the victims and wished them speedy recovery, while at the same time urging the doctors to ensure that the patients get thorough treatment.
He also sought to know the reasons for the absence of the medical staff at Garobadha PHC when the mishap occurred and the victims were rushed there.
Later, the Health Minister was also apprised of the problems affecting the Hospital, particularly the acute shortage of water since February and recurrent shortage of hospital staff, among others.
