In a second case in as many months, the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) is in the news again for all the wrong reasons. This time, a case was registered at the Naharlagun police station after a 22-year-old patient died due to gross neglect by the hospital, following the death of Gora Ama, a resident of Kurung Kumey district.?
The family in its letter to the police has said that complications during delivery led to a surgical procedure, followed by an emergency operation two days later, before the woman slipped into a coma from which she never woke up.?
A preliminary inquiry committee of TRIHMS would provide “firsthand information” on the case to the police. The overworked medical hospital needs to address all the allegations. Repeated allegations of negligence have surfaced on various social media forums. While the medical fraternity is trained to handle the high pressure and the demands that come with the job, and they are well-qualified to face any emergency, they must also address the concerns of the citizens and allay the fear of the people.
Trust must be built because the hospital is the first and the last stop for many citizens of the state who cannot afford healthcare outside the state. It should not reach a situation where mistrust deepens to a point beyond repair. The TRIHMS authority must also cooperate with the police and explain what led to the death. All loopholes need to be addressed, and accountability fixed.