Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 9 Sep: Following the 6 September death of 22-year-old mother Bengia Ama Gora due to alleged medical negligence at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) in Naharlagun, a meeting was convened among the family members of the deceased, Health Minister Biyuram Wahge, Health & Family Welfare Secretary Vivek HP, and the health minister’s adviser Dr Mohesh Chai here on Tuesday.
Addressing mediapersons at the civil secretariat, Wahge said that all the grievances of the family members of the deceased were taken up. The meeting lasted for more than three hours.
The health minister informed that a high-level external inquiry committee has been constituted at the request of the family members seeking exclusion of TRIHMS doctors as its members.
Wahge informed that the committee will be headed by Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner Vishaka Yadav as the chairperson. The inquiry committee includes BPGH Pasighat MS (Surgery) Dr Bomni Tayeng, GTGH Ziro MD (Anaesthesia) Dr Koj Jarbo, Lower Dibang Valley District Hospital MS (OBG) Dr Ista Pulu, and RK Mission Itanagar MD (Medicine) Dr Talar Motu.
The committee will submit its report within 10 days, starting 9 September, to the minister.
Wahge assured that the government would take action if anyone is found guilty during the investigation.
Wahge also expressed sadness over the issue, and said that it is important to know the actual reasons, for which the high-level fact-finding committee has been constituted.
Responding to a query on why the TRIHMS does not have a regular director, Dr Chai said he was informed that none of the doctors at the TRIHMS meets the recruitment rule to be the director, because of which Dr Moji Jini is continuing as the director even after his retirement in 2021.
Dr Chai said, “The health department is working on the issue and discussions over it have already taken place.” He, however, added that “one or two senior doctors have fulfilled the criteria, and it will soon be worked upon.”
