Agartala, May 5 (Representative) The medical professionals expressed serious concern over the brutal attack on an on-duty medical officer in presence of police and local MLA at Manikpur under Dhalai district on Wednesday, which caused grievous injuries to a young doctor and struggling for life at Agartala Govt Medical College. The doctors expressed annoyance over the role of doctors’ associations and different organisations as well as police. The doctors posted in village-level hospitals warned to stop providing services unless culprits and their abettors are booked immediately, as police were seen negotiating with a section of perpetrators during the attack – which lasted for at least 20 minutes. Manikpur Primary Health Centre (PHC) was shut down after the attack and the patients left the hospital. Fear gripped the doctor and the paramedical staff in the locality.
The district police authority, however, deployed additional force to normalise the situation. “We have registered a case and identification of culprits is underway,” said SP Dhalai. “The incident was well-designed and it was not a sudden outburst of emotional set back after the death of two siblings of a family. At least an hour after the death some outsiders with the instigation of a vested quarter resorted to attack in presence of a dozen policemen and local MLA Shambhu Lal Chakma but no resistance,” stated a junior doctor posted in Dhalai district on condition of anonymity. He said that none of the doctors’ association or the government has yet to uttered a single word against the attack rather indirectly threatening the peripheral medical staff to be quiet and added, “Despite repeated requisition for additional and emergency deployment of staff with the outbreak of malaria, no action was taken from the Directorate.”
However, the Director of Health Service was not available to comment on the crisis. According to the report, two children of a family identified as Darmita Tripura (8) and Dharmanjoy Tripura (5) were admitted to PHC with complaints of fever on Wednesday morning. Both the children were suffering from malnutrition and had prolonged histories of fever diagnosed with malaria later. After primary investigation, on-duty medical officer Pranab Debbarma administered injections followed by one oral medicine. The family members of the victim alleged that after the medicines their health condition deteriorated and in the afternoon both the children breathed their last. Alleging medical negligence that caused death of the children, a group of villagers after some time stormed the hospital and beat up the doctor and health staff followed by ransacking the hospital services which left at least 15 persons injured.
Dr Debbarma was recovered later in an unconscious state from the pool of blood and immediately shifted to Sub-Divisional hospital then referred to the medical college in a critical condition. Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer Dhalai district Dr P Kalai said, “The parents of the patients were made aware of the critical condition. They had been advised to shift them to a better hospital but the parents refused. It was a case of late arrival for treatment and the medication was not at fault.” On the other, Executive Member (Health) of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) Kamal Kalai alleged, “The incident happened only because of callous attitude of the government. There is a massive outbreak of malaria in the entire area and no staff to diagnose it or provide treatment. People have no house, mosquito net and food but no support from the state government.”