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Nongstoin, Oct 5: A three-year-old from Domkyrkoh village in West Khasi Hills died while being carried for medical help — a tragedy that has laid bare the cost of no roads, no transport and no timely information.
The District Administration has ordered a full inquiry and sought urgent reports from the BDO Rambrai, District Medical & Health Officer and PWD (Roads) Executive Engineer.
Preliminary findings paint a grim picture. Domkyrkoh is covered by the Mawkhiat Sub-Centre under Rambrai PHC, a PM-ABHIM facility functional for a year, but it is still one-and-a-half hours away on foot.
An emergency vehicle under the Chief Minister’s Safe Motherhood Scheme (CMSMS) exists for the area. But health workers were never alerted when the child fell critically ill — so the transport was never triggered.
The village is accessible only via Mainop, and that road collapses in heavy rain. There is almost no public transport.
The administration admitted the connectivity crisis is long-standing. A 10-km sanctioned project under CRIF — Road from 4th Km of Rambrai-Mawrok PMGSY Road to Nonglang via Domkyrkoh, Phase-I — is supposed to give Domkyrkoh its first direct all-weather link and connect the larger Mawdet cluster.
A multi-disciplinary health team will trek to Domkyrkoh on October 6 for an on-ground assessment, followed by more field visits to audit healthcare access, emergency response and road conditions.
_“We have taken serious note of the tragic death. Findings will guide immediate measures to strengthen healthcare access and fast-track the sanctioned road for permanent connectivity,”_ the District Administration said, expressing deep concern over the loss.
