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Challenges in Assam's Healthcare System: Overcrowding at GMCH
Gyanhigyan english | August 22, 2025 7:39 PM CST

Healthcare Struggles in Assam

Guwahati, Aug 22: The healthcare landscape in Assam is facing significant challenges. Despite having 14 functioning medical colleges, a majority of patients prefer seeking treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) or Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh, leading to an overwhelming patient load at these facilities.


One of the primary reasons for this trend is the insufficient number of specialists and inadequate infrastructure in other medical college hospitals. However, the most critical factor appears to be the lack of trust that patients have in the healthcare services offered by local medical colleges.


In discussions with several doctors, who chose to remain anonymous, it was revealed that GMCH is consistently overwhelmed, serving patients not only from Guwahati but also from lower Assam and parts of middle Assam and the hill districts. Patients from regions with nearby medical colleges often opt for GMCH instead of utilizing local facilities. "The main issue is that GMCH cannot refuse treatment to anyone," one doctor explained.


Many medical colleges frequently refer serious cases, including those needing cardio-thoracic and neurosurgery, to GMCH due to their lack of necessary facilities or experienced personnel. "Buildings alone cannot treat patients," remarked another physician.


Overcrowding is a significant concern at GMCH, with approximately 3,000 patients visiting the outpatient department (OPD) daily. Doctors struggle to provide adequate care, as an OPD team typically manages around 100 patients, but numbers can surge to 400-500, making quality treatment nearly impossible. "We realize that we cannot deliver quality care to everyone when faced with such high patient volumes, but we are compelled to assist all who arrive," a doctor stated.


In contrast, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi also experiences overcrowding but has protocols to turn away patients when beds are full. GMCH, however, resorts to adding extra beds in wards to accommodate the influx, as there is no policy for denying admission.


On average, GMCH admits between 2,300 and 2,400 patients daily, with numbers occasionally reaching around 2,800, which is a staggering figure for the facility. This necessitates the addition of extra beds, complicating the efforts of doctors and nurses to provide care.


The Gynecology and Pediatrics Departments are particularly affected, with 30-40 births occurring daily. A significant number of newborns face health issues, particularly jaundice, requiring phototherapy, which makes it challenging to adhere to the "one bed one baby" guideline.


A critical issue highlighted by a doctor is the shortage of nurses in the ICUs, leading to attendants being allowed inside to feed patients, which increases the risk of infections.


Despite these challenges, there is a consensus among doctors that measures must be implemented to enhance public confidence in the healthcare services provided by local medical colleges.



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