Tuensang District Hospital grapples with shortage of specialist and staff

May 8, 2024 23 Views No Comment

•    No pediatrician and orthopedic specialist
•    Staff nurses, lab technicians transferred without replacements
•    Lone Regional Diagnostic Centre in deteriorating condition

Morung Express News
Tuensang | May 8

The Nagaland Minister for NPWD (Housing & Mechanical Engineering), P Bashangmongba Chang accompanied by district and area party officials, conducted a visit to all in-patients at the District Hospital in Tuensang on May 7. There were currently 31 in-patients undergoing treatment during the visit.

The Minister with his family and members of Tuensang Town Baptist Pastors’ Union with the donated ambulance on May 7. (Morung Photo)

During discussions with the Minister, concerns were raised about shortages of specialist and essential staff at the hospital. It was revealed that the hospital operates without a pediatrician and orthopedic specialist, and 11 staff nurses and three lab technicians have been transferred without replacements. Additionally, four nurses are currently attached elsewhere, impacting the hospital’s operations, it was reported.

Staff members reported that these shortages are affecting the institution’s functionality, especially given the recent acquisition of new equipment requiring specialized personnel.

In response to these grievances, Minister Bashangmongba Chang assured prompt action to address the issues with the relevant authorities and hospital staff.

The visit also shed light on the deteriorating condition of the lone Regional Diagnostic Centre (RDC) at the District Hospital, crucial for serving multiple regions in the area. The building housing the center urgently requires renovation, compounded by recent landslides that have cut off access to the site below the new cabin rooms.

The Minister emphasised the need for immediate rehabilitation to mitigate the risk of further damage, promising to escalate the matter to higher authorities without delay.

Earlier in the day, Minister Bashangmongba and his family donated a Force Traveller Ambulance to the Tuensang Town Baptist Pastors Union (TTBPU). Pastor L Ongmang, president of TTBPU, expressed gratitude for the donation, highlighting its significance in addressing the current needs of the Tuensang public.

“We thank the Minister and his family for their generosity in providing this ambulance, which will serve the common people of Tuensang,” said Pastor Ongmang. “May this initiative bring abundant blessings to the minister and his family.”