A two-day free multispecialty health camp, organized by Mopungchuket Baptist Church (MBC) on account of its quasquicentennial (125th) year, began on Friday at Impur Christian Hospital (ICH), Mokokchung with nearly 400 patients receiving medical care. The camp, regarded as one of the largest of its kind in Nagaland, will continue at Mopungchuket village on Saturday.
Friday’s camp catered to patients from across the Asetkong Range in Mokokchung district, including Impur, Sungratsu, Alongchen, Longpa, Longjang, Longjang Compound, Kobulong, Chami, Khanimo and Yimchalu. The medical team comprised 16 doctors from Mopungchuket, six doctor in-laws, 15 technicians and 50 faculty and students from ICH ANM Nursing School.
One of the lead doctors at the camp, Dr I Imlitemsu Ozukum informed that departments offering services at the camp include Dental, ENT, Pain Medicine, Optometry, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pathology, Surgery, General Medicine, Pediatrics, Physiotherapy, Homeopathy and Ayurveda, Ultrasonology, and Community Medicine. Screening for tuberculosis and other infectious diseases was conducted in collaboration with the National TB Elimination Programme and the Mobile ICTS team. Preliminary assessment in the triage area by the senior most doctors and hospital-based investigations was also available.
Dr N Moa Jamir, head in-charge of the camp, said that Mopungchuket village has so far produced 35 doctors to date, with 20 in-law doctors also serving in various capacities across Nagaland and beyond. He recalled the pioneering contribution of the village’s first doctor, Dr. Ngangshi Aier, who began his medical mission in 1948 and served ICH for 28 years. Dr. Aier was instrumental in the construction of the hospital building, which was inaugurated in 1976.
Explaining why the camp commenced at Impur, MBC Pastor Rev. Jongpong stated that Impur was established on the ancestral land of Mopungchuket and has been a centre of healthcare for the community for over 113 years since its establishment. “In commemoration of 125 years of Mopungchuket Baptist Church, we decided to share our blessings with the people of Asetkong Range by organizing free medical treatment and providing free medicines,” he said. MBC will mark its quasquicentennial on December 27-28, 2025.
About ICH
Impur Christian Hospital (ICH), the first and oldest hospital in Nagaland, was established in 1912 as a charitable dispensary under the supervision of Dr. J. R. Bailey, an American medical missionary. It has since grown into a full-fledged hospital. The institution was renamed Impur Christian Hospital in January 1955.
The present hospital building was inaugurated on December 12, 1976, by S. C. Dev, then Commissioner of the Government of Nagaland, during the tenure of Dr. Ngangshi Aier. ICH celebrated its centenary on October 5, 2012.
Today, the hospital offers quality healthcare, including specialized services such as a Palliative Care Centre, and is empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, providing free treatment to eligible cardholders. It serves as a major healing ministry of the Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM) and also operates a Diagnostic Centre in Mokokchung town.
The hospital runs an Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery (ANM) School of Nursing, which was introduced in 2021, furthering its commitment to medical education and service.
