A high-level National Health Mission (NHM) delegation on Thursday found fewer than five inpatients at Digboi’s historic Assam Oil Division (AOD) Hospital, a facility with 200 beds, in an inspection that has reignited demands for urgent government intervention to revive the struggling institution.
The team was led by NHM Assam Executive Director Abhijit Sarma and included Digboi MLA Suren Phukan, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) Executive Director Rahul Prashant and senior government officials, among them the Digboi Co-District Commissioner. The inspection was carried out at the direction of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who acted on a request from Phukan seeking government intervention over the hospital’s prolonged decline.
The AOD Hospital, a British-era institution once regarded as the primary healthcare facility for Digboi and surrounding areas, is managed under IOCL’s Assam Oil Division corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. Despite its infrastructure and CSR backing, the hospital has struggled to deliver reliable medical services, specialist care and diagnostic facilities. The alarmingly low inpatient count has raised serious questions about how the facility is being utilised and why patients are increasingly travelling elsewhere, including to Dibrugarh, for treatment.
In a Facebook post after the visit, Phukan thanked the Chief Minister for responding to his appeal and arranging the inspection. He also questioned whether the state government’s intervention would push IOCL to upgrade the hospital. Following the inspection, the delegation held a meeting in the AOD hospital’s conference hall, though the outcome has not yet been officially communicated to the media.
The NHM team also visited the Digboi Community Health Centre (CHC), where Sarma was reportedly satisfied with the administration and overall functioning. He sanctioned a range of equipment for the centre, including one operation theatre (OT) table, two mobile beds, portable lights, one cardiotocography (CTG) machine, two monitors and three autoclaves. Repairs to the OT bathrooms and the operation theatre were also approved, with the equipment supply and repair work expected to be completed within a week.
The swift approvals at the CHC have raised expectations among residents that similar action will follow to address the AOD hospital’s deep-rooted problems. Much will depend on how the state government engages with IOCL management and the Union Petroleum Ministry to determine whether the inspection translates into a long-term plan to restore the facility.
For the people of Digboi, the inspection marks a critical moment for a hospital that once symbolised quality healthcare in the region. Residents are now waiting to see whether the visit and the ensuing meeting will lead to concrete measures to revive the hospital’s services and rebuild public confidence. An official account of the discussions and details of any proposed action plan remain awaited.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/assam-nhm-inspection-finds-under-five-inpatients-at-digbois-200-bed-aod-hospital.html
Category: Assam,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2026-10-22 22:45:00
