GUWAHATI
A youth organisation in Lawngtlai, one of the two southernmost districts of Mizoram, has slammed the State government for committing a medical foul.
Lawngtlai, bordering Bangladesh and Myanmar, is the most populous district of Mizoram after Aizawl, which houses the State capital. But Lawngtlai has seven doctors per 16,777 people while the adjoining southernmost district of Siaha has 10 doctors per 5,636 people.
Since May 15, members of the Central Young Lai Association (CYLA) have been holding pickets in district headquarters Lawngtlai and Bungtlang South demanding adequate doctors and medical staff. The protests have affected the functioning of government offices and educational institutions.
Lai is an ethnic community whose members inhabit the Lai Autonomous District Council areas comprising Lawngtlai and Sangau subdivisions of Lawngtlai district.
“If our demands are not met, we will take further steps as necessary,” CYLA general secretary Joseph Lalhmingthanga Chinzah said.
‘Most backward in health’
“In health, we are the most backward of Mizoram’s 11 districts with the highest in infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate and malaria cases. The poor and the rural people depend on the District Hospital in Lawngtlai for medical care, but it is understaffed,” he stated.
According to the CYLA, the State government transferred a paediatrician, gynaecologist and a surgeon out of the District Hospital in 2020 without sending their replacements.
The CYLA said the condition of the Bungtlang South Primary Health Centre, covering 97 backward villages, was worse. This PHC has not had a doctor for a long time and petitions to Chief Minister Zoramthanga and Health Minister R. Lalthangliana in February did not make any difference.
“We sent a reminder to the Health Minister on May 9, but instead of meeting our request, his department transferred two doctors out of the Lawngtlai District Hospital. The hospital now has only seven doctors, which does not meet the needs of the people,” a CYLA spokesperson noted.
Due to the lack of the requisite number of doctors and medical staff, 30 out of the 50 beds of the District Hospital are functioning, the CYLA said.
