Staff Reporter

Shillong, April 25: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has demanded an enquiry into the causes of the high fever amongst the residents of Shella village and its adjoining areas besides providing adequate medicines in Ichamati CHC and Shella PHC for treatment of typhoid fever.

ALSO READ: Meghalaya Deputy CM asserts that relocation from Sweepers’ Colony has to happen

A memorandum in this regard was submitted jointly by the HYC central body and Shella Area Unit to the District Medical & Health Officer (DM&HO), East Khasi Hills for his necessary intervention.

“We demand that the necessary medicines for the treatment of typhoid should be made available at the earliest in Ichamati CHC and Shella PHC as well as to conduct a necessary enquiry into the causes and to also conduct awareness program on the symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention of the disease,” the HYC said.

It urged the DM&HO to take serious note of the non-availability of important lifesaving medicines in Shella PHC and Ichamati CHC, under Sohra Civil Sub-Division.

“We were informed that a particular patient, a young kid, with high fever, visited Shella PHC today, April 25, 2023, and during an investigation, it is found that he had typhoid fever but the said PHC cannot treat him there due to non-availability of medicines and hence for treatment of the typhoid fever he was referred to Ichamati CHC, which is around 13-15kms away, but on reaching the said CHC, it was informed that the necessary medicines are also not available in the CHC at present and hence he was further referred to Sohra CHC, which is around 45 Kms from Shella Village,” the HYC said.

“This is totally unacceptable as the said Ichamati CHC, being the First Referral Unit (FRU) from the adjoining PHCs, which cater to a population of thousands of Villagers, does not even have stocks of life-saving medicines to treat a disease like Typhoid fever and this has put the life of that particular patient and others who are suffering from such type of disease at a great risk, which may even lead to a loss of precious lives,” it added.

Stating that typhoid fever is caused by bacteria and a person with typhoid may be a carrier of the said disease and thus infect other people also, the HYC requested the DM&HO that necessary direction may be given to the concerned health officer(s) in Shella PHC to conduct an enquiry or tests of the patients having fever in the village to find out the causes, to conduct awareness program in the Village regarding the symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention of the disease and any other measures necessary as per protocols to check the spread of the disease and prevent any major outbreak which may lead to loss of precious lives of our villagers.

Different tribal Clans have expressed support to the demand for amendment of the Meghalaya Succession to Self-Acquired Property (Khasi and Jaintia Special Provision) Act, 1986.

This was informed by Maitshaphrang Convener Michael Syiem after a meeting held with the different Clans (or Kur) at Jaiaw Shyiap community hall here.

The meeting was jointly organized with three other organizations – Khasi Students’ Union, Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People and Hynniewtrep National Youth Front as part of their campaign to pressurize the state government to bring the necessary amendment to the Act.

The objective of the amendment was to ensure the ‘equitable’ or ‘fair and just’ distribution of property among siblings in a matrilineal society.

“The Clans who attended the meeting today have expressed support to our demand and they have informed that they will be organizing similar meetings within their clans to discuss the issue before taking a final decision on the matter,” Syiem told reporters.

The State Assembly passed the Meghalaya Succession to Self-Acquired Property (Khasi and Jaintia Special Provision) Act, 1986 and received the Governor’s accent in 1986. The Act provides a special provision enabling the Khasis and the Jaintias to dispose of self-acquired property by will to any of their children.

“But when the children inherit this self-acquired property of the parents, it becomes ancestral and this ancestral goes back to the youngest daughter. So we will feel that we need an amendment to this to include self-acquired property and ancestral property as well in this Act,” Syiem had earlier said.

“Another amendment we want is that the word ‘equitable’ should also be inserted in this Act so that the parents can equitably will away their property to any of their children not necessarily only to the woman or the younger daughter,” he had stated.

The social activist had also said, “Equitable does not mean equal. Equitable according to the dictionary means fair and just so it depends on the parents to give to whom and how much. We feel that this word ‘equitable’ should also be inserted in the 1986 Act.”

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 12: The Junior Chamber International (JCI) Shillong Pinecity celebrated Women’s Day at Prime Hub Meghalaya yesterday where women’s health and well – being were the main themes of the event.

Three accomplished women were invited to speak as guests as a part of the subject which included Shaidalin Marbaniang, a renowned female entrepreneur who makes completely compostable sanitary napkins, Dr. Jagjeet Sethi, a renowned dermatologist from Hope Clinic, Shillong, and Dr. Kerlin Mihsill, a renowned gynaecologist from Hope Clinic, Shillong.

The three notable speakers shared their personal and professional life experiences and well as their vision for women folk.

In addition to Dr. Sethi and Marbaniang educating the audience about women’s hygiene, well-being, and strategies to deal with medical issues, Dr. Mihsill gave a presentation on improving women’s health. The presentation was followed by an open forum where members and other guests put up questions which the speakers provided better understanding about the health and wellbeing of women.

It may be noted here that JCI Shillong Pinecity is the local branch of Junior Chamber International (JCI), a global non-profit organisation dedicated to developing young, engaged citizens and leaders. JCI operates by empowering its members to make a good, long-lasting difference in their local communities.