That rural health care in the State is in doldrums is evident from the latest report of an epidemic among vulnerable children of Changlangshu village in Mon district in which more than 10 deaths have been reported while an estimated 300 are stated to be seriously ill from various sicknesses especially measles, diarrhea, dysentery and other water-borne diseases. While Changlangshu has a sub-health centre but its staffs posted there have been absent for no valid reason. Unfortunately, Changlangshu is not the only exception and the neglect—whether it is education or basic health care services—of rural Nagaland is all too familiar with the concerned authority having done little about it for many years now. As an immediate measure, the government should send a medical team to the village at the earliest and take control of the epidemic that is threatening the lives of the poor and helpless children. The concerned department should also direct the three medical staffers of Changlangshu Sub-health Centre to reach the village immediately and start performing or face dismissal from service.
The State Government on its part should likewise take a thorough review of health services across the State and more so in the block and primary level health centers and district hospitals. It will not be surprising to find acute shortage of doctors and medical services being left unattended. Much therefore needs to be done to improve health care delivery and services in the rural areas. What should be of equal concern is that though sufficient funds are being allocated to address the problem, there appears to be no visibility of infrastructure and medical personnel in these centers. One way of addressing this problem is to rationalize the recruitment of staff in each district and then appoint them where they are needed most. Further, to make the policy work in reality, the state government should work on a policy that the fresh MBBS doctors wanting to join government service will serve in the rural or district level hospitals at least for period of five years. The new recruitment test is necessitated as doctors want government jobs but are not willing to serve in the interiors. This is completely unacceptable and should not be tolerated. The government has to take a tough position while the politicians should also not interfere in the rationale distribution of work. The communitization of rural health services also requires urgent attention of the policy makers at this juncture.
Basic issues like eradication of poverty and hunger, universal primary education, reduction of child mortality and improving health care may appear to be irrelevant when there is euphoria in the media about large scale development taking place throughout the State. Newspaper reports may leave us with the false impression that Nagaland is on a feel good factor. But a more objective measure of where the State is will paint a different picture. The problems are still immense, and the State lags far behind the world in many ways. It is important to keep one’s feet on the ground. It may after all be worthwhile to do a reality check on whether Nagaland is really shining and Changlangshu village in Mon district may be the right place to begin this reality check.
