Protest against merger of RN Brahma Civil Hospital with Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital continues

KOKRAJHAR: For three consecutive days on Saturday, the conscious citizens of Kokrajhar town have been continuing their protest against the merger of 200-bedded RN Brahma Civil Hospital situated in the heart of Kokrajhar town with the Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital (KMCH) and demanded that the premier and pioneer civil hospital of BTC and lower Assam should not be merged with KMCH in the best interests of the people of lower Assam and BTC, which has a long history of serving the community.

The protest in front of the RN Brahma Civil Hospital has been continuing since last Thursday. On Saturday too, former Cabinet minister Pramila Rani Brahma, working president of the Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha (BJSM) DD Narzary, BTC MCLA and leader of opposition Derhasat Basumatary, vice president of Ex-Volunteer Force Organization Bijwngsa Narzary, general secretary of ABMSU Jaidul Islam and others joined the sit-in-protest with the local citizens. Soon after the State government issued an order for merging the civil hospital with the KMCH on June 6, local conscious citizens of Kokrajhar came out and staged sit-in-protest against the merger. The protest programme was arranged by the conscious citizens of Kokrajhar and Ex-Volunteers Force Organization.

In an interview with media persons, former Cabinet minister Pramila Rani Brahma said the shifting of existing doctors, para-medical staff and machineries of RN Brahma Civil Hospital, Kokrajhar to Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital (KMCH), Besorgaon, 10 km from Kokrajhar town and move to close down the premier and pioneer civil hospital of BTC and lower Assam was very unfortunate. She said the citizens of Kokrajhar were totally against the closure of RN Brahm Civil Hospital and merging it with the KMCH. The only premier hospital of BTC is connected with the sentiment of the people of the region and legacy of former Assam cabinet minister late Rupnath Brahma who was the prominent tribal politician of the state, she said adding that people never want complete closure of this hospital but continuation of its services.

Brahma said the government of Assam had been setting up many new Medical Colleges district wise and infrastructures are standing tall but doctors and para medical staff are not available and machineries are also not available in these medical college and hospitals which prompted the hospital authority to refer the patients to other private hospitals for treatment. “What is the necessity of the Medical College and Hospital if the patients do not get relieve and proper services in their locality?,” she questioned and alleged that most of the patients in Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospitals have been being referred to other private nursing homes due to lack of para medical staff, operators and required machineries. She also said KMCH should have been equipped with new machinery but old machinery of RN Brahma Civil Hospital is being shifted and doctors, nurses and other para medical staff are being taken to KMCH which is a matter of shame for the state government. She also said the KMCH was set up during the time of former Chief Minister late Tarun Gogoi as part of BTC agreement but the present State government has failed to appoint adequate doctors and other staff though they are taking all credentials.

Talking to reporters, ex-EM of BTC and present leader of opposition in the BTC Legislative Assembly Derhasat Basumatary said instead of installing new machineries and appointment of new doctors, nurses and para-medical staff in the new Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital, the government of Assam has shifted the old machineries of RN Brahma Civil Hospital to KMCH and doctors as well as nurses and other staff are being taken away. He said RN Brahma Civil Hospital dedicated in the name of great tribal politician and former cabinet minister late Rupnath Brahma in the heart of Kokrajhar town had an emotional attachment for the people of the region and has been giving emblematic services. He demanded that based on the local people’s sentiment, the government should stop closure of this hospital and retain it as a district referral hospital. He also warned that if necessary the people will stage protests on the national Highway in the days to come.

On the other hand, minister Jayanta Mallabaruah who visited Kokajhar RN Brahma Civil Hospital on Saturday to meet the injured persons in land related clashes in Fakiragram on Friday said the state government has set up as many as 24 medical college and hospital within short period of time to meet the doctors’ constraint and there is no question of complete shut down of Kokrajhar RN Brahma Civil Hospital but a section of people have been playing politics on the issue. 

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