Digboi: The 200-bedded Assam Oil Division (AOD) Hospital in Digboi is set to undergo an assessment by a National Health Mission (NHM) Assam team following intervention by Digboi MLA Suren Phukan over concerns regarding declining healthcare services.
The team, led by NHM Assam Executive Director Abhijit Sarma, will visit the facility on October 22 alongside senior Health and Family Welfare Department officials to review operations and identify measures to restore medical services.
Once a major healthcare landmark in Upper Assam, the British-era hospital has faced criticism over shortages of specialist doctors, inadequate diagnostic facilities, and frequent patient referrals to Dibrugarh.
Local stakeholders and residents have raised concerns over the quality of care, noting that despite allocations from AOD’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, access to timely treatment remains compromised.
In a representation to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on September 24, Phukan raised the issue of specialist shortages and questioned the low number of indoor patient admissions despite a staff strength exceeding 100 employees.
The Chief Minister referred the matter to the Health and Family Welfare Department on September 28, directing issues to be examined and addressed in phases.
Phukan has called for modernising the hospital, recruiting specialist doctors, improving manpower utilization, and exploring a public-private partnership (PPP) model for specialized treatment.