Assam Health Minister Reviews Healthcare Facilities and Irrigation Projects
Minister's Visit to Healthcare Facilities
Mangaldai, July 26: Ashok Singhal, the Health Minister of Assam, recently conducted inspections at various healthcare facilities including the Mangaldai Civil Hospital, Sipajhar Community Health Centre (CHC), and the Pathorighat Block Primary Health Centre (BPHC) located in Darrang district.
During his visit to the outpatient department (OPD) of Mangaldai Civil Hospital, he aimed to identify areas needing improvement. Previously, he had also visited the Sipajhar CHC and FRU, where he engaged with patients to understand their experiences.
In a press conference following his visits, Singhal acknowledged the lack of specialist doctors in the state's public health system, attributing it to the limited number of postgraduate seats available in local medical colleges. He noted that attempts to recruit specialists from outside the state have not been successful, although he confirmed that there is no shortage of general MBBS doctors.
Singhal expressed his confidence in the capabilities of doctors working in government hospitals and encouraged the public to respect them to enhance the quality of care. He also promised to address public concerns regarding the reluctance of some surgeons to perform gallbladder and appendicitis surgeries at the Mangaldai Civil Hospital.
Irrigation Projects Under Review
When questioned about the non-functioning flow irrigation projects in the district, Singhal, who also holds the Irrigation Minister position, explained that the rivers in the area frequently change their courses every five to seven years. He emphasized the importance of adopting mobile irrigation projects that utilize smaller wetlands rather than relying solely on flowing rivers for water supply.
In a related note, Singhal visited the 200-bed Udalguri Civil Hospital and the Dhansiri irrigation project at Bhairabkunda in Udalguri district on Thursday as part of a broader assessment of healthcare and irrigation infrastructure.
At the Udalguri Civil Hospital, he toured various wards, including the registration counter, dialysis unit, and maternity ward, while interacting with patients. He held a detailed meeting with hospital authorities to discuss the challenges they face and instructed them to take prompt action to resolve these issues. He urged health officials and staff to fulfill their duties diligently to ensure efficient service delivery.
Later, he inspected the Dhansiri irrigation project, where discussions focused on safety measures and challenges associated with the project. He directed the chief engineer to compile an annual maintenance report and ordered the construction of barricades along the main river, along with necessary repairs to the canal system.
Additionally, he set a seven-day deadline for the district commissioner to collaborate with the forest and irrigation departments to clear large stones obstructing the Dhansiri River.
Present at the irrigation site were BTR deputy chief and local MLA Gobinda Basumatary, chairman of the Assam Fisheries Development Corporation Gurujyoti Das, president of the All Bodo Students’ Union Dipen Boro, district commissioner Pulak Patgiri, and several irrigation department officials, along with nearly 100 farmers from nearby villages.