Ukhrul District has 5 Primary Health Centre (PHC), 2 Community Health Centre (CHC) and 1 District Hospital. The total sanctioned post of doctors for Ukhrul District is 129 doctors , but only 49 doctors (out of which 10 are utilised) are deployed to run the whole district healthcare.
The sanctioned post of nurses at Ukhrul District Hospital is 40 nurses. At present Ukhrul District Hospital has 1 nursing sister and 6 nursing staff.
The sanctioned post of doctors for Ukhrul District Hospital stands at 58 doctors. At present only 18 doctors are deployed at the hospital.
The 5 Primary Health Centres (PHC) are Chingai, Talui, Teinem, Ramva and Khangkhui. A minimum of 5 doctors are supposed to run each PHC. However, only 1 doctor is deployed for each PHC. The two Community Health Centre (CHC) are Somdal and Jessami.
How do we improve the health system in the hills so that the needy people get the maximum health benefits?
Rationalisation of doctors could be one solution. This involves analyzing the current structure, identifying vacant positions, and pinpoints areas where there are too few or too many staff and based on the review, doctors can be transferred or reassigned.
However, this policy of rationalisation seems to have backfired in the health department. Because the moment a doctor is posted in a rural area, the next day he/she gets transferred or utilised somewhere in urban areas.
Who will solve these problems of the hills?
Since most of the people in power are from the valley, the onus lies with them to strengthen and streamline the healthcare facilities and system in the whole Manipur.
Few options are also available to genuinely address the plaguing issues. Setting up a separate Director for hills could be one policy and solution for the well-being of the health system in the hills.
Recruitment of medical staff in District Wise Cadre could be one lasting solution to address the issue of medical staff posting and stationing in their respective place of posting. Because, we have seen so many medical officers not wanting to stay in the hills and getting immediate transfer the next day
Adding to the issue, due to the crisis in Manipur since 3 May 2023, medical staff, nurses, paramedical, department staff etc, posted in the hills are yet to attend their respective place of posting and perform their duty.
There is an acute shortage of doctors in all the PHCs and CHCs of Ukhrul District. In contrast, many PHCs and CHCs in other parts of Manipur have manageable, adequate or excess doctors to run their daily affairs. There are also some PHCs and CHCs with similar situations as in Ukhrul District.
The following data has been randomly picked where there are excess doctors for representational purposes as per the latest information available.
PRIMARY HEALTH CENTRE (PHC)
PHC Lilong, Thoubal
Sanctioned Doctors 6
Deployed Doctors 7
PHC Khurkhul, Imphal West Sanctioned Doctors 6
Deployed Doctors 8
PHC Khumbong, Imphal West Sanctioned Doctors 6
Deployed Doctors 8
PHC Heingang, Imphal East
Sanctioned Doctors 6
Deployed Doctors 12 (100% excess)
PHC Kwakta, Bishnupur
Sanctioned Doctors 5
Deployed Doctors 6
PHC Oinam, Bishnupur
Sanctioned Doctors 6
Deployed Doctors 7
Whereas in Ukhrul District, there is just one doctor deployed each for the Chingai PHC, Talui PHC, Teinem PHC, Ramva PHC and Khangkhui PHC.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE (CHC)
CHC Yairipok, Thoubal
Sanctioned Doctors 18
Deployed Doctors 10
CHC Kakching
Sanctioned Doctors 19
Deployed Doctors 11
CHC Wangoi, Imphal West
Sanctioned Doctors 19
Deployed Doctors 18
CHC Sagolmang, Imphal East
sanctioned Doctors 19
Deployed Doctors 11
CHC Moirang, Bishnupur
Sanctioned Doctors18
Deployed Doctors 12
CHC Nambol, Bishnupur
Sanctioned Doctors 18
Deployed Doctors 16
Whereas in the Ukhrul District, there is just one doctor deployed each for Somdal CHC and Jessami CHC.
DISTRICT HOSPITAL WISE
Ukhrul
Sanctioned Doctors 58
Deployed Doctors 18
Sanctioned Nurses 40
Deployed Nurses 7
Senapati
Sanctioned Doctors 51
Deployed Doctors 20
Sanctioned Nurses 41
Deployed Nurses 25
Chandel
Sanctioned Doctors 51
Deployed Doctors 22
Sanctioned Nurses 40
Deployed Nurses 35
Thoubal
Sanctioned Doctors 100
Deployed Doctors 71
Sanctioned Nurses 64
Deployed Nurses 58
Bishnupur
Sanctioned Doctors 66
Deployed Doctors 44
Sanctioned Nurses 36
Deployed Nurses 32
The sanctioned post of doctors for Ukhrul District Hospital stands at 58. This includes 14 medical officers, 10 casualty trauma centres, 6 dental surgeons, 1 Ayush MO and 27 specialists. At present, Ukhrul District Hospital has 18 doctors.
The sanctioned post of nurses at Ukhrul District Hospital is 40. This includes 5 nursing sisters, 1 Nursing Superintendent and 34 nursing staff. At present Ukhrul District Hospital has 1 nursing sister and 6 nursing staff.
To overcome the shortages, setting up nursing schools in all the hill districts must be seriously considered. Thus, the pertinent question: how long would it take for a hill district to have a nursing school? If a licence for opening a nursing school can be given in the valley within a short time, why does it take ages to open one in the hill district? Why is the need to delay in the hills?
The Governor of Manipur should visit each District Hospital in the hill districts and take stock of the ground reality report. May be then we can see changes.
OPD Footfalls At Ukhrul District Hospital
Year 2022- 21896
Year 2023 – 23790
Year 2024 – 30439
Year 2025 – 15067 (till June 2025)
(This data does not include the patients admitted at emergency and others)
Inspite of all the shortcomings, lack of doctors, nurses and other technical staff, Ukhrul District Hospital is giving their best service to the people.
Why is there an acute shortage of medical staff in most of the hills district? We are way past placing responsibility and accountability. Or maybe the hills are not crying enough to reach the ears of the powers that be.
