Assam: Sarthebari Hospital Functioning Without Doctors for 3 Days

Written by Medical Dialogues Team Published On 2025-06-12T10:59:58+05:30 | Updated On 12 Jun 2025 10:59 AM IST

Staff Shortages Cripple Assam’s Sarthabari Hospital

Sarthebari: The 30-bed rural hospital in Sarthebari has reportedly been operating without a single doctor for the past three days, leaving the facility in a dangerously understaffed and nearly non-functional state.

Currently, only two support staff members, categorised as third- and fourth-grade employees, are present at the hospital. In the absence of both doctors and nursing staff, essential medical services are being handled solely by two medical assistants, raising serious concerns about patient safety and the quality of care being provided.

This deeply inadequate arrangement has not only jeopardised routine patient care but also left the hospital completely incapable of responding to medical emergencies, particularly at night.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu bans leave for Govt Doctors amid staff shortage

According to local residents, the absence of medical professionals, particularly during night hours, has become a recurring issue. They allege that under the current Medical Officer In-Charge, Chamsul Hoque, such operational lapses have become routine, reports India Today NE.

Adding to the crisis, the hospital also suffers from a lack of essential infrastructure. The situation in Sarthebari reflects the deeper, systemic issues plaguing rural healthcare across Assam—persistent understaffing, inadequate infrastructure, and weak administrative oversight.

Also Read: Margherita ASHA Workers Protest Doctors Transfer

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that in response to the transfer of key doctors to other hospitals in the state, ASHA workers at Margherita FRU/Civil Hospital staged a protest. The protestors expressed grave apprehensions about the negative impact the transfers would have on healthcare services in the region. The protest centred around the transfer of Dr. Keshab Goswami, the only radiologist at the hospital, and Dr. Namrata Sonowal, a microbiologist. The workers emphasised that the absence of these two doctors would severely disrupt diagnostic and treatment services, which are essential for the community, particularly in specialised fields such as gynaecology and maternal care.

government hospitaldoctor shortagerural hospitalsAssam health department

Medical Dialogues Team