BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 7th March 2025: The healthcare system in Kanchanpur subdivision, one of the most underdeveloped areas in Tripura remains in shambles leaving the 1,50,000 residents in distress. Home to the state’s 59 assembly constituency, Kanchanpur’s population comprises approximately 70 percent tribal people who rely heavily on the local hospital for medical services. However, persistent issues, including a severe shortage of doctors, have created a dire crisis in the subdivision’s healthcare system.
A glaring gap in medical personnel has been highlighted, with only eight doctors on the hospital’s roster, where at least 18 are required to meet the needs of the population. Out of these eight, three or four are frequently on leave, exacerbating the challenges faced by patients. “Whenever patients are brought here, they are often referred to the North Tripura District Hospital at Dharmanagar without receiving even basic treatment,” said a frustrated resident. This referral practice has become a routine occurrence due to the chronic doctor shortage.
The Kanchanpur Subdivisional Hospital lacks specialists in critical areas, including emergency care, outdoor patient services, and wards for men and women. The absence of adequate staffing often forces doctors to attend to patients sequentially, creating delays that sometimes result in tragic outcomes. “There have been instances where patients have passed away before receiving any treatment,” noted another local, describing the situation as “nothing short of unprecedented.”
Additionally, the only MD doctor at the hospital faces serious allegations of incompetence, compounding the public’s frustration. Despite repeated coverage of the hospital’s failings in the media, the state health department has remained unresponsive, a stance that locals perceive as indifference. “Good doctors are being transferred out of Kanchanpur without replacements. The administration has collapsed,” lamented one local leader.
The situation has left residents scrambling for alternatives. Many are forced to buy medicines out-of-pocket from local pharmacies due to the lack of hospital-provided medication, while others in remote villages seek help from traditional healers or “Ojha Kabi Raj.” The peak months of Phagun, Chaitra, and Baishakh bring an influx of patients suffering from seasonal diseases, putting further strain on an already broken system.
Uday Debbarma, a social activist stated, “People here are struggling for even two meals a day, and on top of that, they are deprived of basic healthcare. This is not just negligence; it is a complete failure of the system.” With no concrete measures from state or district health officials to address the collapsing healthcare infrastructure, public anger is steadily growing.
Residents of Kanchanpur are calling for immediate intervention to remedy the worsening crisis, urging the government to prioritize the appointment of adequate doctors and specialists to the subdivision hospital. Until then, the people of Kanchanpur remain caught in a struggle for access to even the most basic healthcare services, a right that continues to elude them.
