Letters to THE EDITOR: Ailing Health Department

Ailing Health Department

We are of the view that our state government should shun announcement about opening of new medical colleges in the state without improving the state of affairs prevailing in the existing medical colleges. But for popularizing itself, the ruling dispensation keeps on announcing setting up medical colleges one after another, construction of some of which has already begun. This is never to suggest that we are against the setting up of new medical colleges. All the people of Assam must have access to all the medical facilities at an affordable cost. It is unfortunate that even after 71 years of independence, poor people of our country are unable to receive the required medical care for the sheer callousness of the high ups in the successive governments who are more interested in amassing wealth rather than doing anything good to the people. But our focus here is the failure of the government to ensure smooth functioning of the existing medical colleges. A report published in a print media reveals that in the most premier and the oldest medical college of Assam, the Assam Medical College and Hospital things are not moving smoothly. It is reported that for want of adequate number of beds in the gynecological department, one bed is shared by more than one pregnant lady, medicines meant for the poor patients are not easily available, cabins can be occupied only by a fortunate few, the ICUs available in the surgical wards cost Rs 2500.00 per day. Above all, many poor patients raise the issue as to why medicines are not available despite claims by the government that there is regular supply of medicine. Such phenomenon smacks of bad taste. Let all the sub-divisions of all the districts of Assam be adorned with a medical college but surely not at the cost of the existing ones.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.

NRC

The updated final draft NRC was scheduled to be published on the June 30, 2018. But due to some unavoidable circumstances such as flood in some parts of Assam, the publication of draft NRC has been postponed to July 30, 2018 as announced by the State Coordinator of the NRC Prateek Hajela as per the direction of Supreme court. Some organisations and individuals have started raising questions on the accuracy of the NRC. But Hajela has expressed confidence on the accuracy of the NRC. Significantly, the entire process of updating the document of 1951 is being carried out by the NRC authority as per the guidelines as well as monitoring by the Supreme court. Preparation of draft NRC is a tremendous job. However, it is going to be published by hard work of a lot of employees and tremendous effort of the State Coordinator. Still names of some people may be left out. There will be scope for submission of claims and objections by the people if there be any. The final NRC will be published after meeting all the claims and objections as per the guidelines. I would, therefore, like to appeal to the people not to worry in the matter of the NRC and maintain patience.

Putul Sarma,

Biswanath Chariali.