Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 10 September 2025
Mr. Rangalal Halder, President of the Andaman & Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), has raised serious concerns over the difficulties faced by dialysis patients in the Islands due to the absence of specialist doctors for fistula creation and related procedures.
In a letter to the Director of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences (ANIIMS), Mr. Halder pointed out that the unavailability of visiting or resident specialists has left patients struggling to manage fistula-related complications, which are vital for the continuation of dialysis treatment.
“Earlier, specialists regularly visited the Islands to perform procedures such as fistula creation. Unfortunately, this practice has stopped, leaving patients vulnerable and their treatment interrupted,” Mr. Halder stated. He stressed that dialysis is a life-sustaining therapy and delays in medical intervention could cause severe health risks and emotional distress for patients and their families.
The ANTCC President urged ANIIMS to take immediate steps to either arrange regular visits of qualified specialists or appoint a permanent vascular surgeon at the institute. He said such measures would ensure uninterrupted dialysis services and bring much-needed relief to patients across the Islands.
Copies of the appeal have also been sent to the Director of Health, the Medical Superintendent, and the Secretary of Health for further action. Mr. Halder expressed hope that the authorities would intervene urgently to safeguard the well-being of dialysis patients in the Union Territory.
