• Sujal Pradhan, NET Correspondent, Sikkim

The East District Zilla Panchayat (EDZP) today donated one advanced ambulance to the Singtam District Hospital.

Shamsher Rai, Zilla Adhakshya and Basant Lama Director, Panchayat (RMDD) handed-over the keys to Tempo Gyaltsen, Chief Medical Officer (East), and Shri Manoj Mishra, District Medical Superintendent, Singtam Hospital during the function held at the conference hall of EDZP, Sichey, Gangtok.

Speaking on the occasion, Shamsher Rai said that the initiative for donating the ambulance is for the benefit of the people as a social welfare activity. He appreciated the contribution of East District Zilla Panchayat which is committed fully to the well-being of the society. He further informed that the fund utilized for purchasing the ambulance was used from the  Deen Dayal Puraskar Award Fund that was awarded to the State in 2020-2021.

Tempo Gyaltsen Chief Medical Officer, East thanked East District Zilla Panchayat for their contribution to procuring the ambulance, which was a necessary requirement for Singtam Hospital. He said that Singtam lies in the industrial belt of the State where a large number of workers from the factories depend on the facilities provided at Singtam Hospital for medical care.

Apart from that, he also informed that patients from Dikchu, Temi, Yangyang, Rangpo, and Rongli come to Singtam Hospital and an added ambulance will boost the healthcare infrastructure of the area, in terms of transporting patients from far-flung areas.

He assured that the ambulance will cater to the need of the patients efficiently.

Basant Lama, Director, Panchayat, said that it is a motivating step that will act as a huge support system for doctors to treat patients by providing them with basic healthcare facilities, and providing people with access to healthcare facilities at the time of emergency who require medical monitoring in transit and non-invasive airway management.