Tripura Sundari Hospital is ailing  

Tripura Sundari Sub divisional Hospital, one of the oldest healthcare institutions in Tripura’s Udaipur, continues to face severe operational limitations despite the appointment of several specialist doctors.

The hospital, once a thriving district-level medical center serving lakhs in undivided South Tripura, now grapples with bureaucratic and infrastructural shortcomings that prevent the activation of its Operation Theatre (OT).

Residents from the Radhakishorepur and Matarbari assembly constituencies, especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, remain deprived of advanced medical services due to the hospital’s dysfunctional setup.

Despite efforts by Minister Pranajit Singha Roy and MLA Abhishek Debroy, and the recent deployment of specialists in orthopedics, gynecology, and general medicine, critical procedures like surgeries and cesarean deliveries are redirected to Gomati District Hospital because of the lack of necessary equipment and an anesthesiologist.

Speaking on the situation, Dr Joydip Debbarma, SDMO of the hospital, cited incomplete infrastructure and lack of surgical apparatus as the primary hurdles. “Despite having qualified surgeons, we cannot offer complete care due to missing equipment,” he said.

Currently the hospital hosts, Dr Pritam Banik (Orthopedic specialist), Dr Piyush Das (Gynecologist), yet cesarean cases are still referred out and Dr Debashish Pal (General Medicine), with demand for an additional physician.

The absence of an anesthesiologist renders the operation theatre unusable, leaving many patients without in-hospital surgical care. Furthermore, local residents have long demanded the appointment of a pediatrician to cater to children’s healthcare needs—an issue acknowledged by the SDMO himself.

Locals question why basic infrastructural issues cannot be resolved to enable service delivery to thousands across Udaipur, Rajnagar, Pitra, Matarbari, Chandrapur, Tainani, Garji, Maharani, Amarpur, and Karbook.

Many still recall that the hospital once served as a central hub for livelihood and healthcare before being relegated to sub-divisional status allegedly due to political missteps during the Left government’s tenure.

Minister Pranajit Singha Roy had previously led protests to protect the hospital’s legacy from political neglect. Today, public hope is pinned on him and the local MLAs to revive this historic institution and restore it to its former prominence.

There is growing anticipation that he and the Chief Minister will take swift action to upgrade the hospital’s infrastructure and ensure comprehensive healthcare services reach the region’s most vulnerable. Tripura Times