Rohit Kumar
Sri Vijaya Puram, 21 April 2025
The Chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. TSG Bhasker, has raised serious concerns about the lack of advanced medical facilities and the exorbitant cost of emergency medical evacuations from the islands, urging the Chief Secretary to intervene immediately.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Mr. Bhasker highlighted that the cost of airlifting a stretcher patient to the mainland stands at approximately ₹3 lakh. When factoring in flight tickets for attendants and onboard medical services, the total expense climbs to nearly ₹4 lakh — an amount that is beyond the reach of most island residents.
“This financial burden has tragically led to numerous preventable deaths, as patients are often unable to access timely medical care due to their inability to raise the required funds,” Mr. Bhasker stated.
He underscored the urgent need to upgrade the islands’ healthcare infrastructure, calling emergency medical evacuation a “necessity rather than a choice” due to the absence of advanced care facilities locally. Specifically, he called for the appointment of a neurologist and nephrologist at G.B. Pant Hospital, pointing out the growing incidence of neuro and kidney-related ailments among islanders.
Further compounding the issue, Mr. Bhasker drew attention to the long-standing non-functional MRI machine at G.B. Pant Hospital, which has been out of service for nearly a year. As a result, patients are being referred to INHS Dhanvantari, where they face months-long waits for scans, delaying critical diagnoses and treatment.
Mr. Bhasker pointed out that the healthcare budget for the Union Territory for 2023–24 stands at ₹370 crore. He proposed that even a modest allocation of 2% of this budget — around ₹7.5 crore — towards airlifting critically ill patients and upgrading hospital infrastructure could significantly alleviate the hardships faced by the local population.
Concluding his letter, Mr. Bhasker urged the Chief Secretary to take immediate and concrete action to prevent further loss of lives in the islands due to avoidable healthcare delays.