Monday Musing
[ Taba Ajum ]
In the month of February, one night at around 11:30, I received a call from my cousin sister, informing that my cousin brother had suffered a major stroke and they were bringing him to TRIHMS from Potin in Lower Subansiri district. Along with the patient, we reached TRIHMS at around 1:30 am. A doctor and a nurse attended to him. He had to immediately undergo a CT scan but a nurse with a smile told us, “CT scan machine do din se kharab hain.”
Left with no option, we had to again shift the patient to RKM Hospital where CT scan was done. Luckily, my cousin survived and is now on the road to recovery.
The major question is: how come the premier medical college of the state does not have a CT scan machine functioning for days and no one seems bothered? This is a big lapse and the TRIHMS authorities should be ashamed of their utter lack of professionalism. It is the premier medical institution of the state and the state government has been pumping in massive money to improve its standard. People from across the state visit TRIHMS for treatment. But ironically, many a time they end up referring patients to smaller hospitals like RKMH, Niba, Heema, etc. Where does the money go?
A lot of people say that it is a new medical college and therefore will take time to get into shape. However, there is a need to relook the functioning of TRIHMS. Has it really made the desired progress in the last few years as it was supposed to do? To improve the standard and to bring more funds, the state government should consider converting TRIHMS into All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and hand it over to the central government. The government of India is planning to establish an AIIMS in all the states. The state government should avail the opportunity and push to convert TRIHMS into AIIMS.
Everyone has seen how RGU has benefitted after it was converted into a central university. It is another case that the quality of work needs to improve at RGU. But there is no denying that, after becoming a central university, it has witnessed massive changes from the state university days.
If TRIHMS is converted into a central institution it is going to improve infrastructure, instrumentation and human resource. Such a move will also lessen the financial burden on the state government. There would be continuous fund flow from the Centre, which would not only help improve infrastructure but also help provide better perks for the employees working at TRIHMS. The most significant aspect is that, once it becomes a central institution, it will function independently and officials can make better decisions for academic pursuits in terms of teaching, learning and extension.
The sincerity shown by the state government and all the officials of TRIHMS to run the medical college is appreciated. However, if TRIHMS has to go one step ahead, it will be better to convert it into AIIMS. This will immensely benefit the state in the long run. The state government, which has been harping on improving the health sector, should seriously consider this option. This decision can truly change the scenario of the health sector. It is the dream of every Arunachalee to see TRIHMS compete with hospitals like NEIGRIHMS (Shillong), RIMS (Imphal), etc. Not every person can afford to go outside the state for treatment. Large chunks of the population, including yours truly, look upto TRIHMS. But of course the interest of the student community of the state, especially for the seats for UG and PG courses, should be taken care of if the government decides to convert it into a central institution.
