Nagaland: Chang Students’ Conference flags healthcare crisis in Tuensang, demands immediate intervention

Raising alarm over the deteriorating state of healthcare infrastructure in Tuensang, the Chang Wedoshi Setshang (Chang Students’ Conference) held a meeting with the Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Tuensang on July 24 to address pressing concerns that have severely affected medical service delivery in the region.

The central focus of the meeting was the acute shortage of specialist doctors, including Pediatricians, Orthopedic Surgeons, Ophthalmologists, Anesthesiologists, and Gynecologists. The absence of these key professionals has significantly compromised the quality, accessibility, and scope of healthcare available to the public in Tuensang and adjoining areas.

Of particular concern is the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), constructed in 2019 through community contributions, which remains non-operational due to the lack of qualified specialists and trained technical staff. Despite being a vital facility, the ICU has yet to serve its intended purpose, raising serious questions about resource utilization and administrative oversight.

The Conference reiterated its long-standing Resolution No. 26, emphasizing the non-negotiable importance of healthcare and education sectors in fostering equitable regional development. It urged the concerned authorities to urgently address the vacancies in specialist positions and take decisive action to restore uninterrupted medical services.

During the discussion, it was also revealed that a number of staff members who had been previously placed on attachment orders have not returned to their original postings. The Chang Students' Conference issued a strong directive, mandating that all such personnel report back to their assigned stations within seven days of this statement’s release.

In a follow-up inspection of the Tuensang Tuberculosis (TB) Hospital, the Conference uncovered serious levels of absenteeism, including the prolonged absence of several staff without justifiable cause. Alarmingly, the designated Laboratory Technician was found missing, forcing an Assistant Laboratory Attendant—untrained in specialized procedures—to operate lab equipment, a move described by the Conference as unethical, unprofessional, and dangerously negligent.

The Chang Wedoshi Setshang has called upon the health authorities, state government, and relevant departments to take swift corrective measures, fill all specialist vacancies, and ensure strict attendance and accountability of posted staff.

The Conference stated that continued neglect of these issues would only widen the healthcare gap for an already underserved population and vowed to persist in its advocacy for quality and accessible healthcare in Tuensang.