TATO, May 18: The All Shi-Yomi District Youth Association (ASYDYA) has written to the district medical officer of West Siang district, seeking immediate release of the ambulance for the Monigong primary health centre (PHC) in Shi-Yomi district, funded by the ONGC under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy.
Reportedly, the ONGC had donated three ambulances under its CSR policy for Tato, Monigong and Mechukha circles under Shi-Yomi district, which were flagged off by the West Siang deputy commissioner on behalf of MoS Kiren Rijiju from Aalo on 19 March, 2020, along with ambulances
for Nikte and Liromoba under West Siang district.
One ambulance, identified for the Monigong PHC, is still held by the DMO of West Siang and is due to be released, the association said.
The ASYDYA said that it had made several requests and submitted letters to the West Siang DMO for the ambulance’s release.
The association highlighted that the Monigong PHC caters to the medical needs of two administrative circles, namely Pidi and Monigong, which comprises of around 43 villages.
“There is only one ambulance in Monigong PHC, which has been requisitioned from the Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Services on rent basis for Covid-19 duty only,” the association said, adding: “We are told that this ambulance shall be used only for transportation of Covid-19 sample and not for medical patients.”
The ASYDYA pointed out that with the nationwide lockdown still in effect and public transportation suspended, the public of Pidi and Monigong circles, especially those in medical emergency are the worst sufferers.
The association claimed that it has appraised the Shi-Yomi DMO and DC, West Siang DC and also local MLA cum state legislative assembly speaker PD Sona on several occasions regarding the issue, but no actions has been taken.
An application for the same was also submitted to the director of health services on 6 May, 2020, the association said.
Further, the association claimed that during an interaction with the Shi-Yomi DMO, it found that four ambulances were procured for Shi-Yomi district, erstwhile West Siang, under various schemes during 2014-15, but the ambulances were never seen or put to use in the designated areas.
“If the authorities continue to turn deaf ear to our request we may resort to democratic form of action,” ASYDYA president Kiran Rinya said.