Kiphire, Zunheboto health facilities face manpower issue

Our Reporter
Dimapur, May 17 (EMN): Most districts in Nagaland may not be facing issues related to Covid-19 management so far, as Covid-19 cases in the state are largely concentrated in Dimapur and Kohima, but health officials fear that healthcare facilities in other districts could face manpower shortage if cases continue to increase.

At present, Dimapur, Kohima, Longleng, Phek, Peren and Zunheboto have above 10% Covid positivity rate; above 5% positivity rate in Mokokchung, Wokha, Mon and Kiphire; and below 5% positivity rate in Tuensang.

Chief Medical Officer of District Hospital Kiphire, Dr. E Motsuthung Patton told Eastern Mirror that the district has manpower shortage. He informed that Kiphire has 21 sub-centres, four primary health centres (PHCs) and two community health centres but one of the PHCs has no doctor as replacement hasn’t been done after the previous doctor was transferred.

As there is no private hospital or clinic in Kiphire, it will be difficult for the district hospital, the only healthcare centre in the district, to manage if cases surge like in Dimapur and Kohima as the hospital has only 13 beds in Covid care and three ICU beds, which are empty so far, he informed.

He said there is no oxygen shortage for now but expressed concern in case of surge in severe cases, as its nearest district headquarters is Phek, which is more than 100 km away.

The District Hospital Zunheboto has enough healthcare workers for now but has been facing shortage of other staff for a while now.

The nodal officer for Covid-19, Dr. Shikato Sema said that there are enough nursing staff and doctors so far in Zunheboto but ambulance drivers, lab technicians and sanitation workers have been bearing the brunt of the pandemic.

He said that ambulance drivers and the lab technicians have been working for the past one year in Covid-related duties and are exhausted. He added that their workload has doubled with Covid cases rising in Zunheboto.

The district hospital has three ICU beds with ventilators and there is enough oxygen so far, however he said that the facility would need more doctors if severe cases increase.