Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 20 January 2025
A nutritious, balanced diet plays a crucial role in the recovery process of patients battling illnesses. Timely and healthy meals are essential to complement medical treatment, with many medications requiring consumption after meals. However, the healthcare system across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is failing to meet this fundamental need, leaving patients admitted to various health centres without proper meals.
Historically, government healthcare facilities in the Islands, from Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to the only tertiary care hospital, have provided nutritious meals to in-patients. Given the geographical challenges, many patients travel long distances to access medical care, making it impossible for their families to bring food daily. Despite this, several health centres are now unable to offer adequate meals, leaving patients to fend for themselves.
At PHC Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar, which caters to the remotest hamlets of Great Nicobar & Little Nicobar Island, in-patients have been served nothing more than rice and dal for over two years. Vegetables, meat, eggs, and other vital components of a balanced diet are missing from their meals. Community members have occasionally stepped in, donating vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, and bread. However, these efforts have been sporadic, leaving the PHC reliant solely on a monotonous rice-and-dal menu.
The situation is no better at PHC Katchal, where food has not been provided to in-patients for more than a year. Patients at this centre struggle to arrange meals, compounding their health challenges during treatment.
At CHC Nancowry, which serves a significant population in the Nancowry Group of Islands, food provisions ceased in early 2023. Despite repeated appeals from local tribal leaders, the administration has failed to resolve the issue, forcing patients and their families to arrange meals independently. This has led to significant hardships, especially for those from remote areas.
Adding to the growing list of affected facilities is PHC Baratang, where food services have been halted for the past two months. According to Mr. G. Kurma Rao, a BJP leader and ex-serviceman, the delay in finalising the tender for dry rations has caused this disruption. In a recent post on social media platform X, Mr. Rao highlighted the issue and called for immediate action.
Speaking to Nicobar Times, Mr. Rao revealed that a local association had offered to provide dry rations temporarily, but the Medical Officer In-Charge declined the offer, citing the need for prior approval from the Directorate of Health. Mr. Rao described the situation as “unfortunate” and urged authorities to act swiftly to restore food services.
Despite consistent media reports and interventions by political leaders, the Directorate of Health is yet to address the widespread issue of food non-availability across these health institutions. Patients, already burdened by illness, bear the brunt of this administrative failure, as they are deprived of the nutritious diet essential for recovery.
This crisis underscores a glaring gap in healthcare management in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Those responsible for ensuring the well-being of patients must be held accountable for this neglect. Immediate steps must be taken to restore the provision of healthy, balanced meals in all affected healthcare facilities, safeguarding the rights and health of the Islands’ residents.