By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 1: Health and Family Welfare Minister Wailadmiki Shylla on Monday said an inquiry is underway into allegations that Shillong Civil Hospital staff neglected the two injured NEHU students after they were brought to the facility on November 17 at around 8:15 pm.
Shylla told reporters that such reports are always a matter of concern for the government. “I have already reached out to the doctors there to inquire into the matter, and the inquiry is still ongoing. We need to clearly establish the facts, as many things are being said from different sides,” he stated.
The minister added that it would be inappropriate for him to comment further until the exact circumstances are known.
“We are taking this matter very seriously. No one should ever be denied treatment, and we are working to ensure that such issues are addressed and prevented,” he said.
When asked about recurring complaints from the public, particularly from the rural areas, regarding unprofessional behaviour by the hospital staff, Shylla admitted that the problem has persisted for years.
“Naturally, complaints will arise, but we always try our best to address them. From the government and the department’s side, we constantly remind hospital staff to be more welcoming and sensitive to patients’ needs,” he said.
Shylla noted that patients often arrive at hospitals in pain or distress, and healthcare workers in government facilities are burdened with a high patient load. “Even so, we continue to stress to our doctors, nurses, and staff that such behaviour is unacceptable. Professionalism and empathy must always be maintained, and we are committed to improving the situation,” he added.
Earlier, the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident, in which the two injured students were allegedly left unattended at Civil Hospital, despite one of them bleeding for nearly an hour. The students were later shifted to Nazareth Hospital.
Acting on The Shillong Times report titled “NEHU accident case: Civil Hospital staff accused of neglect”, the Commission issued a notice to the state Director of Health Services (MI), seeking a detailed inquiry report to be submitted by January 7, 2026.
The two students, Stephanie Shadap (22) and Daritngen Ponduhkhei (20), were hit by a speeding vehicle while they were walking near NEHU Gate-II.
