Section of students and others during the launching of Phase-I Democratic Agitation at Zero Point, Longkhim Town on June 12. (Photo Courtesy: USSC)
Kiphire, June 13 (MExN): The United Sangtam Students’ Conference (USSC) on Friday (June 12) launched its Phase-I Democratic Agitation at Zero Point, Longkhim Town, demanding the immediate deployment of doctors, nurses and medical equipment at government health centres across the Longkhim and Chare subdivisions of Tuensang district, following what it described as the state Health Department's “complete failure” to act on an ultimatum issued three weeks ago.
The seven-day agitation was accompanied by a shutdown of all commercial and business establishments within the Longkhim jurisdiction. A public rally was held at Traffic Point, after which representatives of the student body submitted a formal memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Longkhim, for onward transmission to the Principal Director, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Nagaland, Kohima.
The USSC had earlier served an Ultimatum granting the department a 21-day deadline to redress the acute shortage of medical personnel across the two subdivisions. With the deadline having lapsed without any official response or administrative action, the conference said it was “left with no viable alternative” but to mobilise the public.
In its Charter of Demand submitted to the Principal Director, the USSC sought the immediate posting of a Senior Medical Officer, Medical Officers and Nurses at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Longkhim, and the installation of an Ultrasound machine and a digital X-Ray machine along with trained Technicians at the facility.
The conference also demanded strict adherence to government-approved staffing patterns at the following health centres: Community Health Centre (CHC), Longkhim; Primary Health Centre (PHC), Chare; PHC, Tsadang; PHC, Müngangkhyun; PHC, Chimonger; and PHC, Angangba.
USSC President Adekhing I Sangtam and General Secretary Tsathrongli T Sangtam, who jointly signed the memorandum, said the critical lack of manpower had “reduced vital health centres to mere concrete structures,” leaving them incapable of managing even basic medical emergencies or routine healthcare delivery. They said thousands of citizens, students and rural villagers who depend entirely on government healthcare infrastructure were being directly imperilled by the inaction.
The USSC appended to its memorandum the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) 2022 guidelines to underscore the extent of non-compliance. Under the norms, a Primary Health Centre is required to have at least two Medical Officers, up to three Staff Nurses for round-the-clock operations, a Pharmacist, a Laboratory Technician and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, among others.
A Community Health Centre must be staffed with specialists in surgery, medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and anaesthesia, a minimum of three General Duty Medical Officers, fifteen Staff Nurses, and support staff, in addition to a functional Operation Theatre, a 24/7 Labour Room, an ICU and radiology services including X-Ray and Ultrasound.
The student body issued a caution that if the department fails to issue official posting and deployment orders for doctors and nurses and does not arrange for the installation of the requisite medical equipment within seven days of the memorandum; it will escalate to a “second phase of intense democratic agitation.”
The USSC also said the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare will be held solely responsible for any untoward incidents, public unrest or the disruption of essential services resulting from our legitimate protest. “We expect immediate, concrete administrative action to address this crisis and avert public confrontation,” it stated.
