Seyochung Area Students’ Union (SASU) has pointed out a big negligence on the part of the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the State Government that is preventing the people of Seyochung town from access to health services which is the right of every individual and an essential need. SASU Vice President, Muwali, informed on Thursday that Community Health Centre (CHC), Seyochung town in Kiphire district has been without a doctor since the last allocated doctor got transferred in October 2022.

CHC Seyochung town caters to over 10,000 people in the area.

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Muwali mentioned that the Union had submitted a letter to the H&FW department to send fill the vacant post of doctor and other medical staffs at the CHC but there has been no positive response. He also said that SASU has taken up the matter with United Sangtam Students’ Conference (USSC) but so far there has been no result.

SASU President T Thinglise Sangtam also stated that health is a primary right of any individual regardless of where he/she is and that the government set up the CHC for the very purpose for the wellbeing of people living in rural area “yet unfortunately we don’t even have a doctor who is the primary caretaker of patients”. He said that the public has shared its grievances with the student leaders and he asked, “How can our people be left alone like orphans?”

“We deserve to have our basic necessities like anyone else,” Thinglise added while apprising that the distance between Kiphire District Hospital and Seyochung town is approximately 72 km which again becomes a challenge given the bad road conditions.

Seyochung Area Students’ Union President, Vice President and Secretary (L-R)

When asked what further steps will be initiated incase the concern department and government fail to intervene in the matter, the SASU replied, “We will go for agitation at our headquarter ADC Seyochung’s office until the government fulfil our demand. We are only demanding what is owed to us.”

SASU has served a 15 days ultimatum starting Friday to the concern H&FW department and Government of Nagaland to intervene in the matter and allocate a doctor as well sufficient medical staff to CHC Seyochung town.

In a strong remark SASU president stated, “If any unfortunate incident happens with patients the concern department and the state government will be solely held responsible.”

The village elders and citizens have also shared similar concerns and appealed for immediate intervention.

Meanwhile, a source informed that even Amahator Primary Health Centre and Sitimi PHC are functioning without any doctors while CHC Pungro is functioning with the help of one ad hoc doctor and two nurses “The concern department and state government seems to remain silent even after knowing the absence of doctors in the remotest part of the region”, the source said.