Senior citizens' forum focuses on poor infrastructure of SMCH

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Silchar Medical College and Hospital which completed its golden jubilee celebration three years ago continues to be plagued by severe deficiencies. Despite several representations to the state health ministry and also during the visits of Health Minister here, the state of affairs has not changed. More over, in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, SMCH is the only centre of treatment for the infected positive cases of Barak Valley which has begun to feel the crunch due to high jump in the number of patients.

In a memorandum to the Union Health Minister, Dr Harsha Bardhan, submitted through the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar on Monday, Pro Active Senior Citizens' Forum (PASCF) based here states that Silchar Medical College and Hospital established in 1968 by the Govt. of Assam is so far the only tertiary level centre for treatment and health service provider in the entire Barak Valley Region and adjacent hill districts in Assam. Although it completed its Golden Jubilee, it suffers from continuous negligence of the state government and this does not need any proof. Examples are vivid. A medical college existing for more than half a century and offering MBBS, MS, MD and different Diploma courses has a number of shortcomings.

Departments are running without professors, associate professors and assistant professors. Cardiology department exists without any cardiologist and the Oncology wing has remained void of any oncologist from its inception. Any patient who suffers stroke is advised to move to Guwahati or Shillong and most of them die on the way. For Cancer patients, Cobalt Therapy machine serves as a show case.

Departments of neurology, neurosurgery, virology, geriatrics, nephrology, urology, eye bank, cardio-vascular surgery are yet to come up. Any patient calling for immediate medical attention sustaining head injury in an road accident or kidney damage is asked to move to Guwahati, Kolkata or Bengaluru. Most of these patients die on the way. In fact, SMCH has remained without any modernisation and upgradation.

Almost all the departments are having shortage of specialists. Many specialists manage to get themselves attached with Guwahati Medical College and Hospital and Assam Medical College and Hospital although they are officially meant for Silchar Medical College and Hospital. This has been the practice for decades.

PASCF's litany of grievances as articulated by common people is long. Costly equipments are yet to be installed. Some are lying inoperative. A glaring example is of dialysis machine which for reasons unknown is lying unused. SMCH is not well equipped to deal with increasing number of COVID-19 patients due to dearth of nurses, technicians, sweepers and maintenance staff. The Union Health Minister has been urged upon to intervene to remove the deficiencies to reach better health services to people. The memorandum was signed by Mihir Kar Purkayastha, chairman, Prof Dilip Kumar Dey, secretary and Niharenda Purkayastha, vice chairman.

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