The United Sangtam Students’ Conference (USSC) has raised an urgent appeal to the Department of Health and Family Welfare (H&FW), Nagaland, citing critical shortages in healthcare personnel and medical facilities in the Longkhim-Chare area. In a letter addressed to the Principal Director of the department, the USSC highlighted the severe lack of doctors, nurses, and essential medical equipment in health centres across the region.
According to the letter, the Longkhim Community Health Centre (CHC), which should have a minimum of four doctors and seven nurses, is currently operating with only one doctor and four nurses. The USSC described this situation as “alarming” and expressed concern over how it “severely hampers the quality of healthcare services” provided to the local population.
The problem extends beyond the CHC, as four of the five Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the area – PHC Chare, PHC Tsadang, SHC Mangakhi, and PHC Chimonger – are functioning without any doctors. Only PHC Angangba is reported to have a doctor on staff. The lack of healthcare professionals has left these communities with “limited access to basic healthcare services.”
In addition to the staffing shortages, the USSC stressed the need for advanced medical equipment, such as an ultrasound machine and an X-ray machine with a technician at CHC Longkhim, as well as a pharmacist at PHC Chare. The letter warned that the ongoing shortages of doctors, nurses, and medical facilities pose a “great threat to the lives of the citizens” and hinder the effective implementation of public health programs in the area.
The USSC urged the department to take immediate action to address these pressing issues for the welfare of the public.