MP Bishnu Pada Ray Meets Union Health Secretary Over Andaman & Nicobar Islands’ Healthcare Disaster

Tarun Karthick

Sri Vijaya Puram, 12 August 2025

Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament for the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, met Union Health Secretary Ms. Punya Salila Srivastava in New Delhi on eleventh August 2025, to flag what he described because the “deplorable” state of healthcare within the Islands and to hunt pressing central intervention.

During the assembly, Mr. Ray painted a grim image of the medical state of affairs, citing that out of fifty sanctioned specialist posts, solely six are presently stuffed. He identified the entire absence of crucial specialists—together with gynaecologists, cardiologists, neurologists, urologists, nephrologists, oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, paediatricians, anaesthesiologists, and orthopedists—in district hospitals and Community Health Centres (CHCs).

The MP confused that the scarcity forces pregnant girls from inter-island areas to journey lengthy distances to GB Pant Hospital in Port Blair, inflicting extreme hardship and contributing to maternal and toddler mortality. He additionally referred to reviews of avoidable deaths and situations the place sufferers prevented in search of remedy as a consequence of lack of certified specialists and concern of negligence.

Mr. Ray famous that repeated representations—by letters, parliamentary interventions, and appeals to the Lt. Governor—had didn’t convey tangible enchancment. He urged the Ministry to contemplate handing over the ANIIMS (the Islands’ MBBS medical school) to AIIMS or managing it below a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mannequin for higher administration. He additionally sought the deputation of an AIIMS professional group to evaluate floor realities, merging of specialist posts throughout hospitals for higher transferability, and addressing frequent shortages of fundamental medicines in authorities hospitals.

In his submission, Mr. Ray made 4 key calls for:

– Restoration of the sooner rotation system for specialist deputations to the Islands.

– Urgent reforms in ANIIMS administration by AIIMS or PPP mode.

– Dispatch of an AIIMS/professional group to judge and handle healthcare deficiencies.

– Structural reforms in specialist postings to make sure higher accessibility.

“This is a question of life and death for the people of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands,” Mr. Ray confused, urging the Ministry to behave directly.

The Union Health Secretary assured the MP that the issues could be taken up in session with the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, and applicable steps could be initiated.