Doomdooma: Congress candidate Durga Bhumij on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Assam’s healthcare system, alleging that hospitals across the state, particularly in tea garden areas, have collapsed into “chaos” ahead of the Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference here, the former Doomdooma MLA said patients are being “shuttled endlessly” between facilities without receiving even basic treatment, reflecting what he described as a complete breakdown of public health services in upper Assam’s tea belt.
“The health system is in tatters. Whether it is a tea garden hospital or a government hospital, patients are simply being referred elsewhere,” he said, accusing authorities of abandoning people in their moment of need.
Bhumij said the situation has reached a breaking point, with critically ill patients forced to travel long distances due to non-functional infrastructure, inadequate staffing and lack of essential medical facilities.
He blamed successive governments for neglecting healthcare in tea-growing regions and said the crisis has exposed deep systemic failures in the state’s public health delivery.
The press conference was attended by Jharkhand Congress observer Subhash Sahu and district Congress leaders, who backed his call for urgent reforms.
Bhumij asserted that the Indian National Congress would overhaul the healthcare system if voted to power, promising accessible and reliable treatment at the grassroots level.
Doomdooma, in Tinsukia district, is a key constituency with a large population of tea garden workers from Adivasi communities. The seat is set for a contest between Bhumij and BJP MLA Rupesh Gowala.
Polling for the 126-member Assam Assembly is scheduled for April 9, with counting on May 4.