The Meghalaya Peoples’ Human Rights Council (MPHRC) today urged the government to take urgent corrective measures to address the systematic inequalities and discrimination experienced by the indigenous/tribal peoples especially in the public services.
To commemorate the International Day of the World’s the organisation in a statement pointed to the health crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in Meghalaya and said that this has disproportionately been affecting the indigenous/tribal peoples and the poor, exacerbating underlying structural inequalities combined with pervasive discrimination in access to health care and communications.
While also asking the government to look into the crumbling healthcare and communication infrastructures in remote and rural areas of the state, the MPHRC chairman, Dino D.G. Dympep said the State government must revive all non-functional health centres including dispensaries, primary health centres and sub-centres located in far flung areas.
While emphasis should be laid on maternity health the MPHRC felt that ambulances should be made available for any emergency cases and all hospitals have the required doctors.
“The government should identify all those women who died due to maternal complication during this lockdown/containment period and the enquiry committee constituted by the Health Department should look into all these cases and not just one particular case. The committee should expand to include a retired judge, police inspector and a member of a reputed CSO,” MPHRC said.
Pointing out that people of the state particularly those residing in the rural areas are facing numerous difficulties due to bad road conditions and lack of internet connectivity the MPHRC said the government should not lose its sight on such basic infrastructure during this pandemic.
