Tesam Pongte To Move CM Pema Khandu For Specialist Doctors In Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Assembly Deputy Speaker and MLA from Changlang North, Tesam Pongte has said that he would approach Chief Minister Pema Khandu for more specialist doctors in Changlang. He, however, refuted charges of shortage of doctors in the government hospitals across the district. He said there are sufficient doctors in Changlang but admitted that there is a lack of specialist doctors. “We need specialist doctors in the district and will be approaching Chief Minister Pema Khandu in this regard. We will write a letter to the Health Minister also,” he said.

A video viral on social media has claimed Changlang is facing acute shortage of doctors in the government-operated medical centres. The video shows people accusing the doctors, some allegedly from political families, of not being punctual in delivering their duties. The video had been uploaded before the Assembly election this year too.

Refuting the allegations, Pongte said that the video went viral before the Assembly election when he was busy in campaign. "I had no idea about it. But if the doctors are not punctual the people should have complained to the District Medial Officer and Medical Superintendent. Even if someone (doctor) is from a political family, he should be at the health centre in time. It is his prime duty to be present at hospitals to serve and treat the patients,” he said, adding that he has no idea of any such allegations.

Pongte also said that he had tried his best for bringing in more specialist doctors during his last five-year tenure and succeeded in recruiting at least two. Now his effort is to bring in a child specialist, a gyanaecologist and a medicine specialist.

“Doctors are considered next to god and those doctors who are not punctual in delivering their duty are really condemnable. I request all the doctors in the district to be punctual in their duty and serve the needy for a healthy and fit Changlang,” he said, adding that the DMO should take stern action against any errant doctor. Pongte accepted that there is lack of electricity in the district. “We are totally depended on the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) for electricity and many times the transmission lines are destroyed due to rain and cyclones,” he said.

He said due to the thick forest between the electricity transmission line from Assam to Changlang, hampers the repairing process which leads to shortage of electricity in the district.

“I am trying to solve this problem through the process of 'cabling' and have also sent a scheme to the State government through the Power department,” he said, adding that he is hopeful that the State government will accept the proposal so that the people do not suffer due to the lack of proper electricity supply.

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