Demlenlal, alias Lalneo Khongsai (35), son of (L) Khuppao Khongsai, a noted football player of JSYC Sadar Hills, reportedly died after suffering shortness of breath on Monday morning.
TFM Kangpokpi Representative
The untimely death of a former Manipur State League player from Chalwa village under Tujang Vaichong Sub Division in Kangpokpi district has not only sent shockwave in the State but also appalling state’s healthcare system and pathetic road condition of the state’s oldest Imphal-Tamenglong highway.
Demlenlal, alias Lalneo Khongsai (35), son of (L) Khuppao Khongsai, a noted football player of JSYC Sadar Hills, reportedly died after suffering shortness of breath on Monday morning.
Demlenla, who led the Sadar Hills team into the prestigious Manipur State League in 2012 and lifted the winner’s cup in 2011, was compelled to hang up his boots to look after the family after the demise of his father since football could not provide sufficient income to run a family.
According to his cousin’s brother Lalboi, Demlenla suffered shortness of breath at around 8:30 am and he was immediately rushed to T Vaichong PHC, the nearest health care in the area. Unfortunately, no doctors were available at the health centre. When they tried to provide oxygen through an oxygen concentrator, there was no current at that moment and no generator was available in the health centre.
Then, he was immediately brought to Kangpokpi District Headquarters, but owing to the minor mudslide which occurred this morning again at Lamlenkon, it took more time than expected to reach the town apart from the deplorable road condition of the state’s oldest highway Imphal-Tamenglong road.
When they reached Kangpokpi Christian Hospital, the doctor declared him brought dead.
The non-availability of an ambulance is also one of the main factors for the delay in reaching the town on time.
Demlenla is survived by his wife and three children.
On learning about the incident, KSO Sadar Hills along with KSO Twilang block met the Chief Medical Officer Kangpokpi at her office chamber and put up the matters for necessary action while discussing means and ways so that such undesirable incidents do not reoccur in the area.
The CMO Kangpokpi said she has been trying her best in her capacity to provide sufficient manpower and infrastructure at T.Vaichong PHC considering its importance and necessity for the people, She assured that she will play her role as a CMO in her capacity so that such incidents do not reoccur in the area.
The CMO also said that since only two doctors out of the five sanctioned posts are available, two more doctors were sent from the CMO Pool at T. Vaichong PHC. The doctors have to travel in a passenger vehicle owing to the bad road condition which takes more time to reach the health centre, she added.
Dr. Akhtar Hussian, utilized at T. Vaichong PHC was on duty at the health centre and his roaster culminated on Sunday. He left the PHC early Monday morning and Dr Arif Khan, who is to replace him, was on the way to the PHC when the incident took place.
Enraged with the alleged negligence, a representative of KSO Sadar Hills questioned why Dr. Akhtar Hussian left the PHC before his replacement arrived at the centre and why Dr. Arif Khan came only Monday morning to join his duty when he is very much aware of the distance and condition of the road.
“This is complete negligence on the part of the two doctors and they both are responsible for the loss”, KSO Sadar Hills President Hemin Kipgen asserted.
He also blamed the state government and the authority concerned for such unwanted incidents. “This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in the area and we have been alerting the state government and authorities concerned on various occasion but nothing has been done till today” he added.
He recalled that they had apprised the state government and authorities concerned about the previous such incidents and sought preventive measures to avoid the reoccurrence of such incidents beforehand.
The KSO Sadar Hills along with the KSO Twilang block have apprised the state government and authorities concerned about the non-availability of doctors and infrastructure at T.Vaichong PHC, apart from the all-time ghoulish road condition and the recent frequent mudslide at Lamlenkon which has become main concerned in the area, he added.
Highlighting the various issues and problems in the areas, the KSO Sadar Hills had also demanded to provide adequate doctors and infrastructure including an ambulance at the PHC at the earliest apart from providing all-season road in the area to save lives of the people during an emergency but nothing has been done till today rather more lives have been lost day by day, he said.
The KSO Sadar Hills cautioned that their strength of tolerance has been exhausted and if the government and authorities concerned still remain a mute spectator even after this unfortunate incident, they will be compelled to take our own course of action.
Enraged denizens of the Twilang area have poured out their anger and opinions to the media after a father of three lost his life again owing to the alleged negligence and inadequate infrastructures, bad road, and connectivity, etc.
“Only vote counts? Lives don’t matter?? No doctors at T.Vaichong PHC. Why is our place neglected? Why are leaders seen only before the election? One precious life of Lalneo Khongsai from Chalwa village could not be saved only because there were no doctors and no facilities,” said one of the denizens of the Twilang area and asked,
Meanwhile, JSYC Sadar Hills expressed heartfelt condolence over the untimely demise of its former player and conveyed the club’s solidarity to the bereaved family.
The Kangpokpi Youth Union also conveyed its deepest condolence over the untimely demise of Lalneo Khongsai while recalling that the youth union had lifted the first Mangboi Trophy in 2008 at Motbung with the help of Lalneo Khongsai.