Editor,
The death of our esteemed MP of the Shillong Parliamentary seat – Ricky AJ Syngkon has once again raised serious concern on the status of our Community Health Centers (CHCs) and Primary health Centers (PHCs), more so the CHC, Mawiong which was supposed to be the first responder in this case. The fundamental question is-why our CHCs/PHCs are in such pathetic conditions even today and will the Minister of Health and family Welfare-Shri Wailadmiki Shylla held culpable and be made accountable?
Why are these healthcare providing centres not equipped with lifesaving infrastructure and trained professionals? While we cannot play God, could we have saved the life of the honorable MP if proper interventions were administered at those crucial minutes/hour? I believe yes! Imagine, if it can happen to an MP, what is the plight of the general public? Is our healthcare system at the mercy of God? I think we are failing God by not doing our duties with due diligence and accountability and thereby losing precious lives. It has also been widely known that the 108 ambulance on that day took its own time to reach during that critical period of a cardiac arrest; should someone be held accountable for the delay at the critical time?
Another important lesson for the sudden death of our MP is the urgent need to familiarize and train people to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) which can save precious lives at the critical moments during cardiac arrest or heart attack which can happen to anyone at any time and anywhere. CPR training should be made a mandatory part of the Health Education syllabus which should be compulsory in schools for teachers as well as students.
It should be taught in colleges, universities, training centers, drivers and conductors of school buses, other buses, taxi drivers, shopkeepers, churches and other religious places, Dorbar Shnongs, etc. The more trained persons we have, the higher the chances of saving precious life at critical moments before the arrival of any medical help.
In our quest to develop new townships, fancy stadiums and other projects across the State, are we getting over-zealous and missing the woods for the trees? Is our spending disproportionately diverted to infrastructure development in yet-to-be inhabited or very sparsely populated areas of our State at the cost of a reliable basic healthcare system, critical life-saving emergency responses and affordable education? I think the priority of the State government needs serious recalibration in the larger interest of the State and its people. MDA-II Government, please respond!
Prof Lakhon Kma
Lawsohtun
Via-email
