Healthcare Collapses in Kangpokpi: Only One Doctor, No Ambulance at T Vaichong PHC Leave Thousands at Peril

When the lone contractual doctor takes leave, the health centre becomes completely doctorless.

In a devastating reflection of Manipur’s rural healthcare crisis, the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at T. Vaichong in the Twilang Region of Kangpokpi District is on the brink of total collapse, forcing thousands to endure unimaginable hardships without access to proper medical care.

The PHC, which should serve as an important lifeline for the people of the region, now stands as a hollow reminder of its original purpose. Out of the 24 sanctioned staff posts, only four personnel, including just one contractual doctor, have been running the centre for the past two to three years. According to Thanggoulun Kipgen, President of the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Twilang Block, the severe staff shortage has rendered the PHC virtually non-functional.

When the lone contractual doctor takes leave, the health centre becomes completely doctorless. During such times, patients have no option but to travel over 35 kilometers to reach Kangpokpi district headquarters. The journey, already long and difficult, becomes life-threatening due to the extremely poor condition of the road, turning medical emergencies into ordeals.

The PHC building itself is crumbling, with decayed infrastructure and damaged facilities. The condition of the structure reflects years of government neglect. The facility, once meant to bring hope, now stands as a stark reminder of the apathy shown toward this remote population.

To make matters worse, the only ambulance assigned to the PHC has been out of service due to repairs. In the absence of this critical vehicle, patients rely on private cars or even makeshift transport, risking lives during emergencies. Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Twilang Block President Kipgen has urgently appealed to the authorities to immediately provide an additional ambulance to ensure uninterrupted emergency services during the ongoing repair of the existing vehicle.

Twilang Region, located in Sadar Hills of Kangpokpi District, comprises more than 50 villages and is home to approximately 15,000 people. Despite lying at the intersection of three Assembly constituencies, Tamei, Tadubi, and Kangpokpi, residents continue to suffer from administrative neglect and lack of basic infrastructure.

Adding to the irony, the historic Imphal–Tamenglong Road, the oldest state highway in Manipur, passes through this lush and strategically important belt. Once envisioned as a development corridor, the road has now fallen into a state of ruin, filled with potholes, landslides, and gaping craters. Far from offering connectivity and hope, the road today isolates the region further, especially during medical emergencies.

For years, the people of Twilang have dreamed of an all-weather road to ensure timely access to healthcare and essential services. But year after year, that dream remains out of reach as repeated promises fail to turn into action.

The absence of adequate medical staff, a non-functional ambulance, and treacherous road conditions have created a perfect storm of suffering. Pregnant women, the elderly, and critically ill patients face the gravest risks, with many paying the ultimate price for the lack of even the most basic healthcare services.

Adding another layer to their suffering, recent floods caused by continuous heavy rainfall have destroyed much of the region’s fragile infrastructure. Floodwaters washed away several electric poles and 33KV power lines, plunging the entire region into darkness. According to KSO President Kipgen, the blackout lasted a full month, leaving families and health workers to operate without electricity in an already strained healthcare environment.

But in an inspiring show of resilience, the people of Twilang came together to restore the power lines themselves. Without any external help, they braved harsh weather and dangerous conditions to reinstall electric poles and repair the lines, eventually bringing light back to their villages. Their determination and selfless spirit stand as a powerful reminder of what rural communities endure, and how they rise against odds when institutions fail them.

“It is high time that the concerned authorities wake up to this catastrophic neglect,” said KSO Twilang Block President Thanggoulun Kipgen. “The people of Twilang are not asking for luxury. They are pleading for their right to live, to access healthcare and basic services without risking their lives.”

He demanded an immediate renovation of the PHC, including full staff deployment, a working ambulance, critical infrastructure upgrades, an all-weather road, and a stable power supply. “These are basic needs, not privileges,” he said. “The time for action is now, before more lives are lost to neglect.”

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