Ao Senden shuts the Chief Medical Officer’s office in Mokokchung indefinitely over staffing and infrastructure demands at IMDH
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MOKOKCHUNG — Ao Senden on Wednesday began an indefinite shutdown of the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) office in Mokokchung after rejecting the Health and Family Welfare department’s response to its demands concerning staffing and infrastructure at Dr. Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital (IMDH).
The first phase of the agitation began on Wednesday morning, with members of Ao Senden, Ao Lanur Telongjen and the Ao Kaketshir Mungdang (AKM) stationed at the CMO office gate. The organisation said the closure would continue until its demands were met.
The shutdown was prompted by alleged non-fulfilment of an ultimatum issued to the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare. According to Ao Senden general secretary Imtipoyim, the organisation had rejected the directorate’s reply dated October 17, asserting that none of its demands had been addressed.
The demands include the posting of a replacement radiologist and a dermatologist at IMDH, shifting hospital services to the newly constructed Block A, and reverting doctors and nurses attached to other offices to their original postings within 30 days.
Also read: Ao Senden gives Nagaland government 30 days to act on IMDH demands
In its earlier response, the directorate stated that the transfer of a senior radiologist from IMDH to the Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) was due to the promotion of a senior radiologist at NHAK and was intended to address a staffing shortage there. A trained sonologist had been earmarked for IMDH.
Ao Senden, however, said a notification dated August 19 showed that the senior specialist radiologist had been transferred from IMDH to NHAK, while a junior specialist had been posted to IMDH from Phek. It stated that the senior doctor had been released despite the organisation’s request that the doctor remain until a replacement joined.
The organisation maintained that a sonologist would not meet its demand for a specialist in radiodiagnosis.
The directorate also informed Ao Senden that the psychiatrist attached to Dimapur District Hospital until October 31 would return to IMDH from November 1. Two staff nurses attached to the CMO and medical superintendent in Dimapur had also been directed to return to their original postings, according to the department’s response.
On shifting services to Block A, the directorate said instructions had been issued for the move, as construction work was reported to be complete.
Meanwhile, IMDH medical superintendent Dr. Alemwapang Aier said preparations were underway to shift services, tentatively by November 15. A committee comprising civil society organisations in Mokokchung had been constituted to oversee the process, he said.
In a letter dated October 14, the directorate informed the medical superintendent that additional requirements, including temporary ramps and furniture, were outside the scope of the ongoing project and could be met from the hospital’s decentralised funds, as necessary.
Around INR 40 lakh is required for an emergency ramp, nursing station and other basic facilities in the new block, it was informed. The estimate does not include a fire-safety system or oxygen supply lines. The hospital is currently exploring corporate social responsibility support and other means of raising funds.
The expansion project is intended to increase IMDH’s capacity from 150 to 250 beds. Shifting services to Block A is necessary before the old building can be demolished and construction of Block B can begin.
The hospital is currently functioning with about 100 beds because of the ongoing construction. It handles up to 300 outpatients daily on average, nearly half of whom come from neighbouring districts.
Dr. Aier expressed optimism that patients would receive improved healthcare services once the shift to Block A was completed.
Ao Senden said it would pursue its own course of action from October 21 and held the department responsible for any untoward incident arising from the agitation.