Patients denied affordable health care!

Dispur, homeopathic fraternity still to strike a happy medium

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 6: The Homeopathic Medical College at Panjabari in Guwahati has been locked for days on end with Dispur and homeopathy fraternity still to strike a happy medium to break the logjam between them. Those at the receiving end of this logjam are patients who want to get reliable and affordable health care without having to burn bigger holes in their pockets.

For the past few days patients have been coming to the hospital only to go back frustrated after seeing the big lock hanging at the gate of the hospital. The visiting patients also include some who need treatment uninterrupted.

Talking to this reporter, a man of the locality said: “Patients aren’t supposed to know what irks the relationship between doctors and the government. As citizens of an independent country they have every right to get medical care affordable to them. However, the current logjam between homeopathic fraternity and Dispur has been out to deny citizens their rights – getting their affordable health care. It is imperative on the part of those at the helm of affairs to see the demands of the homeopathic medical students and teachers of the State.”

The security guard of the hospital said: “Many patients come and go back without getting any treatment. While some scold the doctors and the governments as well for the problem they have to face, others put the blame on the government for not meeting the demands of the doctors. The doctors too feel bad to send patients back without attending to them, but they’ve no way out but to raise their genuine demands. Since it involves patients’ life and death Dispur should’ve taken a positive stand to break the logjam for the interests of patients. So far, there has been no such gesture from the government even as the situation is aggravating every passing day.”

The members of homeopathic students’ organizations and teachers’ bodies had staged demonstrations at Dispur Last Gate recently in support of their various demands. When they took to the streets the police had to baton charge and arrest them. Irked at the police action and indifference on the part of Dispur to their plight, homeopathic college students had to lock all medical colleges of the State on March 3, 2019.