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STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Shocking but true. There are no doctors at 50 percent of the tea gardens in Assam.
Sources in the Health department said besides the non-availability of doctors, hundreds of posts are lying vacant in the garden hospitals. These include those of 660 pharmacists, 200 GNM nurses, 300 ANM nurses, 175 health assistants, 350 laboratory technicians and 600 ward boys.
On the other hands as per the decision was taken by the Medical Advisory Board for Plantation Workers, the tea garden hospitals must have a stock of 200 items of essential drugs. But majority of the hospitals do not have more than 50 such drug items.
According to sources, the situation in garden hospitals has further worsened after several doctors decided to quit the gardens on the ground of insecurity following the recent brutal killing of Dr Deben Dutta while on duty at Teok tea estate in Jorhat district.
The Assam branch of Indian Medical Association (IMA) has already made it clear that it is unsafe for doctors to work in the tea garden areas under the prevailing circumstances.
“Many young doctors have refused to join the tea gardens despite the fact that the State Government is offering an attractive pay package. While many among those already working in the gardens are reluctant to continue, some among them have remained absent in their duties,” the source pointed out.
The Indian Tea Association (ITA) and the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) have said that in view of the recent incidents of assaults on doctors it has become practically infeasible for estate managements to run the garden hospitals. “It is high time for the State Government to seriously consider the take-over of these hospitals and run them under the aegis of the Central and State Government health schemes,” an ITA official said.