Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 28 July 2025
While government healthcare institutions in South Andaman and North & Middle Andaman districts are making provisions to serve nutritious and balanced meals to in-patients, patients in the remote islands of Great Nicobar and Nancowry continue to be deprived of this basic necessity.
At PHC Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar, inpatients are often served only rice and dal — a diet grossly inadequate for those recovering from illness. In the Nancowry group, while the menu includes rice, dal, legumes, and soya chunks, there is a complete absence of vegetables, eggs, poultry, fish, and fruits — all of which are essential for a balanced diet.
This persistent disparity has sparked concern and frustration among local residents, tribal leaders, and political representatives, who have repeatedly appealed to the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to address the issue. Despite these efforts, the situation remains unchanged.
In contrast, other districts in the Union Territory have seen clear administrative efforts to ensure the nutritional needs of patients are met. Recently, tenders were floated via the e-procurement portal for the supply of ration items to at least two healthcare institutions in North and Middle Andaman.
Similarly, in South Andaman, the Directorate of Health Services issued Order No. 2389 dated 11th July 2025 to the District Hospital Garacharma and eight other PHCs. The order acknowledged that the tender process for wet ration supply had not been finalized due to administrative reasons. However, it allowed for interim procurement of wet ration for a period of three months, by invoking Rule 154 or 155 of the General Financial Rules (GFR), 2017 — ensuring that patient meals would not be disrupted.
This raises a pressing question: if such administrative flexibility and urgency can be applied in South Andaman, why is the same not extended to health institutions in the Nicobar District? Why are patients in Great Nicobar and Nancowry not afforded the same dignity and care as their counterparts in other regions?
Sources in both Great Nicobar and Nancowry confirmed to Nicobar Times that no such orders or information regarding tenders have been received for their regions.
This stark regional disparity in healthcare provisioning reflects a deeper issue of neglect and administrative apathy toward remote island communities. Nutritious food is not a privilege — it is a right, especially for those under medical care.
Unless the administration takes swift and decisive action, the patients of Great Nicobar and Nancowry will continue to battle not just illness, but also systemic indifference.
