A staff nurse (GNM) posted at Ramdhan Public Health Centre (PHC) under Jonai Block in Dhemaji district died and four others sustained injury in tragic road mishap at Tezpur on Tuesday morning.
According to report, an auto rickshaw carrying five nurses and proceeding to Tezpur railway station was hit by a speeding truck from back side. One Dhanyada Morang Kuli (Ramdhan PHC) died on the spot while four others- Nilakshi Deori (Bijoypur PHC), Rumi Chutia (Telam PHC), Junumoni Deori (Dekapam PHC), Anumita Devi (Sissiborgaon BPHC) severely injured in the incident.
The injured nurses were rushed Tezpur Medical College & Hospital. All the nurses serving under National Health Mission (NHM) were temporarily engaged on duty in Tezpur Medical College & Hospital by the Mission director as there was a programme of MCI (Medical Council of India) in the medical.
According to information, the State’s Mission Director of NHM by letter (No. NHM-310329 (II) 2/2018-HRD-NHM dated 30/11/2018) ordered Joint Director of Health Services of different districts including Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Sonitpur to release a sizable number of staff nurses (GNM) for temporary engagement in Tezpur Medical College & Hospital.
Thus, about 60 staff nurses from Dhemaji district were lifted to Tezpur for attending MCI inspection. The Mission Director’s order allegedly did not specify any time period of their temporary engagement nor did the authority release the nurses that were brought on requisition even after the MCI inspection was over.
Moreover, the staff nurses shifted from Dhemaji and Lakhimpur district was not given proper lodging accommodation at Tezpur.
On the other hand, health services in the hospitals of Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts are almost defunct after releasing the serving nurses to Tezpur. The medical officers are bearing the brunt of patients’ anger in case of child delivery and other emergency cases due to shortage of nurses.
