Tripura’s healthcare ‘collapsed’, claims Congress amid rising disease burden

The Congress has launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led government in Tripura, alleging that the state’s healthcare system has “completely collapsed” despite Chief Minister Manik Saha being a doctor himself.

Congress spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty has accused the government of allowing corruption and medical negligence to thrive, resulting in unnecessary deaths instead of providing quality healthcare. He said both government and independent reports have “punctured” the ruling party’s claims of a healthcare “revolution.”

According to a Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare report, Tripura ranked first among northeastern states in malaria and chikungunya cases in 2024-25, despite having a population of just 44 lakh compared to Assam’s over 3 crore.

In 2023 alone, Tripura recorded 22,412 malaria cases—nearly half of the Northeast’s total. Chikungunya cases also rose sharply, from 1,557 in 2023 to 2,452 by December 2024.

Chakraborty further highlighted a “disturbing” rise in HIV cases. Between January and November 2024, 1,237 people tested positive out of 12,660 people screened.

He also alleged large-scale corruption in medical recruitments, claiming that candidates scoring as low as 14–15 marks out of 100 were appointed as medical officers.

“The state government is more interested in creating flashy showcases than real reforms,” Chakraborty said, urging the chief minister to act decisively to strengthen the healthcare system.