Health Crisis: Zomi Students' Federation Seeks Union Minister’s Intervention Over Denied Health and Medical Care
The Zomi Students' Federation (ZSF), General Headquarters, on Tuesday formally appealed to Union Minister JP Nadda and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for urgent intervention in addressing the ongoing crisis at Lamka (Churachandpur) District Hospital. The hospital’s empanelled pharmacy is compelled to cease free distribution of essential medicines to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and the Chief Minister's Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT) schemes, citing massive outstanding dues from the government.
PMJAY and CMHT are national and State (Manipur) health insurance schemes, that aim to reduce the high health expenditure, improve access to quality health services and provide health benefits for people with low income at government or affiliated empanelled hospitals.
According to the ZSF, the hospital's empanelled pharmacy inability to cater to its health scheme beneficiaries is rooted in unpaid dues from the government, which have not been cleared since July 2022 for PMJAY and April 2023 for CMHT. The ZSF has raised concerns that this prolonged delay is endangering the lives of vulnerable citizens in the region, where access to essential healthcare is already a challenge.
The ZSF’s efforts to address the issue included discussions with the relevant authorities and information gathering from the empanelled pharmacy. The data reveals the scale of the crisis:
- As of May 23, 2024, the number of beneficiaries under PMJAY in Lamka District totals 1,12,801.
- For CMHT, the number stands at 24,935 as of May 21, 2024.
- The outstanding dues for PMJAY amount to ₹3,54,92,242, while the dues for CMHT total ₹2,12,04,508, bringing the total unpaid sum to ₹5,66,96,750.
The lack of free medicines is exacerbated by the region’s geographical challenges. Many residents of Manipur, particularly from Lamka District, face the daunting prospect of travelling approximately 350 kilometres to neighbouring Mizoram for medical services. This journey, through rugged terrain and poorly maintained roads, takes 16-18 hours, significantly increasing the risks and costs involved. Medical access to Imphal, Manipur which is about 60 km from Lamka has been cut off since May 3, 2023.
The ZSF has cautioned that the denial of crucial medications, especially during such a volatile period, poses a severe threat to public health. They have called for immediate intervention from the central government to resolve the financial backlog and ensure that residents and beneficiaries can access the healthcare services they desperately need. The secretary of the Federation stated that access to medical and health care is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. “The beneficiaries of the health care schemes ought to be treated on par with the rest of India”, he added, emphasizing that the health scheme benefit should not remain interrupted in a welfare state due to the government's failure to pay its outstanding due.
Interestingly, while the government is unable to clear its 5.6 Crores Rupees due in order to cater the emergency health and medical needs of the indigenous Zo communities and the vulnerable groups in the State of Manipur, it has release a sum of 18 Crore Rupees as 1st instalment to promote the majoritarian script Manipuri(Meitei) as tweeted on X by the lone Rajya Sabha member of the State.
As tensions remain high in the conflict-ridden state, the ZSF’s appeal highlights a growing healthcare crisis that could further destabilize the region if not promptly addressed. The Union Ministry’s response to this urgent plea is awaited as the situation develops.