Imphal: Tribal villagers and community leaders in Manipur’s Tousem Sub-Division have renewed their demand for better road connectivity and healthcare facilities, following an incident in which an ailing woman had to be carried to Assam on a makeshift bamboo stretcher for medical treatment.
The incident has once again highlighted the infrastructure challenges faced by residents of the remote subdivision in Tamenglong district, where poor road connectivity and limited healthcare facilities continue to make access to essential services difficult.
On Friday, Heziakgale Pame, wife of Heichiliang Pame of Deigie village, was reportedly carried on a bamboo stretcher across the Jiri River and into neighbouring Assam after she fell ill. Her exact medical condition was not immediately known.
Unable to reach medical facilities through the deteriorated road network connecting Tousem with the Tamenglong district headquarters, villagers reportedly opted to take her towards Assam. After crossing the river, the group used motorable roads to reach Lamina Hospital in Pailapool, Assam, where she was taken for treatment.
Tousem Sub-Division shares boundaries with Assam and Nagaland and is considered one of the more remote and underdeveloped parts of Tamenglong district. Residents said several internal roads remain in poor condition and are largely unsuitable for regular vehicular movement.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the absence of adequate healthcare infrastructure and medical personnel in the subdivision. Community representatives said residents are also facing difficulties due to limited access to educational institutions, banking services and government or administrative offices.
Local leaders have urged the state and district administrations to take immediate steps to improve road connectivity and establish functional healthcare facilities within Tousem.
They said residents should not have to cross state borders or depend on traditional methods such as bamboo stretchers to access emergency medical care.
The community has called on the government to move beyond assurances and take concrete measures to address the long-standing infrastructure and service gaps in the remote subdivision.