Letters to The EDITOR

Infants Death in JMC

Reports in the print media suggest that all is not well in the health sector of the State. The reports further suggest that as many as 18 newborn babies died in the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) within a period of six days from November 1 to November 6. Incidentally, there are only 42 ICUs in JMCH whereas in practice it is experienced that the number falls far short of requirement. It is learnt that in all the 10 government hospitals at Jorhat there are newborn sterilization units but none of them is serviceable. So, all the hospitals are prompt to send all newborn babies with serious illness to the JMCH only to die soon after. It also transpires from the reports that six pregnant women died in October last. Further, the State’s health care system is plagued by shortage of doctors. It is further reported that all the medical colleges together produce 700 graduates annually of which only 80 % are interested in Government jobs, and periodically when the State Government publishes the advertisement inviting applications for filling up vacant posts, the number of applicants fall short of the requirement. As per stipulation of the World Health Organization, doctors and number of patients should be 1:1,000, but as against that Assam’s proportion is shockingly low which is 3:10,000. Meanwhile, an enquiry has been ordered into the infant death in the JMCH. Hopefully, the findings of the enquiry will throw light on the causes of death or if there was any lapse on the part of any attending doctors. Further, we learn from newspaper reports that a team of members of UNICEF arrived at the JMCH to make an on-the-spot enquiry. Let us wait and watch.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.

BSNL Cell Phone Service

The people of Assam are fed up with the performance of the BSNL cell phone systems. People opt for BSNL only with the faith of getting good services under the public sector enterprise. But, functioning of the BSNL cell phone systems is far below par. There is always either no signal of transmission or momentarily available signal. Moreover, frequent call drops during conversation give the users a totally unpleasant treatment. It is not understood as to why such a big corporate giant cannot make a sound signal transmission system on a par with its private counterparts. It is heard that the BSNL is now a top heavy enterprise manned with a few low-level skilled manpower. In such a situation, instead of announcing good schemes/ offers to its customers, the BSNL should first concentrate on sound transmission of signal for the customers. This will only bring good reputation among the public.

Dr. P.C.Sarmah,

Sonali Jayanti Nagar, Jorhat-1