Mohammed Saheed
Port Blair, 07 February 2023
The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Mr. Keshav Chandra, IAS on first leg of his five days visit to Southern Group of Islands visited Car Nicobar on 06th February 2023. On arrival at Car Nicobar Helipad, the Chief Secretary was accorded a warm welcome by the Deputy Commissioner, Nicobars, Mr. Yash Chaudhary, IAS, SP Nicobars, Mr. Manjeet, IPS, Assistant Commissioner (HQ), Car Nicobar, Mr. Vikram Singh, Chief Captain, Tribal Council, Car Nicobar, Mr. Lynold Nicomed, Village Captains, Senior Officers of other Departments and others.
Soon after arrival, the Chief Secretary visited BJR Hospital, Car Nicobar and inaugurated a newly set up four bedded Dialysis Unit in the presence of Mr. Yash Chowdhury, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Nicobar District, Mr. Lionald Nicomede, Chief Captain, Tribal Council, Car Nicobar, Medical Superintendent, BJR Hospital, Car Nicobar and other Senior Officers.
Interacting with the Health Officials, the Chief Secretary appreciated the efforts of the Health Department for installing the much needed facility in BJR Hospital. He said, with the inauguration of this Unit, patients who are in different stages of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) needing frequent dialysis hereafter need not visit Port Blair to avail such facility, thereby helping in reducing cost of travel, lodging expenses and long duration of stay. Now, the patients can avail the dialysis facility at their door steps in Car Nicobar itself, he said. The Chief Secretary also interacted with the patients and enquired about their wellbeing. He also inspected other health care facilities available in the Hospital for the benefit of the residents of Car Nicobar and appreciated the Health Department for keeping the premises of the hospital spic and span. To cater to the needs of pregnant women, a Gynecologist has been posted in BJR Hospital and the needy patients are now able to access health care facilities pertaining to C- Section, critical deliveries at their convenience in Car Nicobar.
With the opening of this Dialysis Unit at BJR Hospital, the long pending demand of tribal people of Car Nicobar has been fulfilled. Meanwhile, 12 Chronic Kidney patients belonging to Car Nicobar Island, who are presently compelled to undergo haemodialysis at GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair can now avail this facility at BJR Hospital, Car Nicobar.
Under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) which was rolled out in 2016, every District in the country is supposed to have a Dialysis Unit. The Dialysis Unit at GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair in South Andaman was established in the year 2002, at Dr RP Hospital, Mayabunder in North & Middle Andaman District in 2013 and now with the inauguration of the Dialysis Unit at BJR Hospital, Car Nicobar in the Nicobar District, A&N Islands will have a rare distinction of having one Dialysis Unit in all three Districts. A & N Administration has gone a step further and established Dialysis Unit at CHCs in Bambooflat, Diglipur and Rangat too.