Sribhumi Civil Hospital in Assam has come under intense public scrutiny due to its crumbling infrastructure and persistent service deficiencies. Patients and residents have expressed outrage over the hospital’s failure to provide even the most basic medical care, exposing a deep-rooted problem in the state’s healthcare system. The complaints have surged in recent weeks, prompting civil society groups and local media to take note of the long-neglected facility.
Families who rushed their loved ones to the hospital in hope of treatment have reported shocking conditions inside the building. Walls have visible cracks, ceilings show signs of water damage, and basic hygiene is sorely lacking. Patients have had to endure extreme discomfort, with many lying on broken stretchers or waiting for hours without access to doctors or nurses. Clean drinking water remains unavailable, and the hospital’s washrooms are in an appalling state.
Doctors at Sribhumi Civil Hospital have admitted that they work under severe limitations. They have expressed frustration over the outdated equipment and the shortage of essential supplies, including medicines and gloves. Many medical professionals find themselves forced to improvise during emergencies, often without life-saving tools or functioning diagnostic machines. This lack of resources has resulted in frequent referrals to larger hospitals, sometimes costing patients precious time in critical cases.
The hospital administration has maintained that they have informed higher authorities multiple times about the poor state of the building and the resource gaps. However, they have received little response or action. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) acknowledged the issues but said his hands are tied without financial or administrative support from the health department. He said the hospital desperately needs a structural overhaul, increased staffing, and an uninterrupted supply of medicines.
Meanwhile, the local residents continue to suffer. Pregnant women, elderly patients, and accident victims frequently arrive at the hospital only to be sent away or made to wait for hours. In many instances, families have turned to private clinics, which charge fees well beyond what villagers can afford. The situation has triggered widespread frustration among communities who depend on Sribhumi Civil Hospital as their only public health option in the region.
A group of concerned citizens has started gathering signatures to demand urgent intervention from the state government. They plan to submit a formal memorandum to the Health Minister, detailing the various issues faced by the hospital. Residents argue that the facility once played a crucial role in serving nearby villages, but years of neglect have reduced it to a shadow of its former self. With the upcoming elections, the people hope political leaders will now prioritize fixing this broken link in Assam’s healthcare chain.
Opposition leaders have already begun criticizing the ruling government for allowing such negligence to continue unchecked. They claim that despite numerous public health schemes launched in the state, the benefits have failed to reach institutions like Sribhumi Civil Hospital. Some have called for a state-level audit to investigate how funds allocated for rural health infrastructure are being utilized.
As the pressure mounts, health officials from the district have promised to conduct a detailed inspection of the hospital. They plan to submit a report to the Directorate of Health Services, highlighting the urgent need for repair, staffing, and facility upgrades. Until then, the hospital’s staff continues to do the best they can with limited tools, while patients and their families hope for a much-needed change.
The growing attention around Sribhumi Civil Hospital underscores a broader issue across Assam’s public health sector. It reveals the silent suffering endured by countless villagers when health centers are stripped of basic dignity and functionality. Whether the recent outrage will lead to real change remains uncertain, but the community has made it clear that it can no longer accept such neglect in silence.
