Ambulance services not suspended, Director of Health Services clarifies

IMPHAL, August 24: The Medical Directorate has clarified that the directorate has not suspended its medical check-ups and ambulance services. The clarification was made in connection with a statement of

IMPHAL, August 24: The Medical Directorate has clarified that the directorate has not suspended its medical check-ups and ambulance services.

The clarification was made in connection with a statement of the Manipur Commission for Protection Child Rights that the directorate has suspended its routine medical check-ups of hunger strikers and ambulance services.

The directorate has not taken any such decision to stop medical check-ups or ambulance services, Director of Health Services Dr O Ibomcha told media persons today.

A statement of the directorate issued regarding ambulances has been wrongly interpreted, he said.

Elaborating further, Dr Ibomcha said the directorate in its statement had said that the ambulance services kept on standby for emergency at various locations would be pulled back to be use for the conduct of routine medical check-ups of the hunger strikers.

He said several ambulances have already been damaged during the ongoing peoples`™ movement. Imphal East CMO Dr Pushpa Rai even sustained injuries during a tussle with agitators when she, along with her team escorted by the police, had gone to provide medical aid at a protest site.

He said the directorate had informed the DGP that medical teams will no longer tag along the police while attending to the hunger strikers.

The people seem to be wary of the police presence and whenever, the medical team is accompanied or escorted by the police, the public seem to be unhappy, he asserted.

The directorate has been providing prompt, medical care and attention, and we will continue with providing service, he added.

He continued medical teams of the directorate led by their respective CMOs in all districts are well prepared and equipped to face any eventualities.

Mobile ambulance services have been attending to the hunger strikers on a round the clock basis, he further said the people should have more trust and faith in the medical staff.

The Medical Directorate has appointed ILP Issue Medical Coverage team led by SNO Dr Kh Sasheekumar Mangang (mobile no: 09612555708), CMO Imphal East Dr Pushpa Rai (mobile no: 08414098272), CMO Imphal West Dr Kula (mobile no: 08974009603), CMO Thoubal Dr Jayantakumar (mobile no: 08974009015 and CMO Bishnupur Dr Babychand (mobile no: 09436025511) and they can be contacted for any emergency, he said.

Till today four ambulances have been damaged by protesters.