HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 10: Amid growing online criticism and speculation, Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal has issued a public statement clarifying why Dr Abhijit Sarma, Superintendent of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), is undergoing a kidney transplant in Kolkata instead of within the state.
The announcement follows a surge of reactions on social media questioning the state’s healthcare standards.
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Many users expressed concern over why a senior doctor from Assam’s top government hospital had to travel out of state for advanced medical care, challenging the government’s assertions of a healthcare transformation under chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Responding to the backlash on X (formerly Twitter), Singhal refuted suggestions that the move reflected poorly on Assam’s medical infrastructure.
“Some social media users allege that Dr Abhijit Sarma… is undergoing a kidney transplant in Kolkata due to ‘poor healthcare infrastructure’ in Assam,” Singhal wrote, “This is not true.”
The minister explained that Assam’s current legal framework prohibits kidney transplants from unrelated donors, a procedure permitted in states like West Bengal.
Dr Sarma’s transplant, being from a non-related donor, thus required him to seek treatment in Kolkata.
Singhal underscored the capabilities of Assam’s hospitals, asserting they provide high-quality care to lakhs of patients each year.
“Assam’s hospitals, including GMCH, serve lakhs of patients each year with dedication and care,” he said, urging the public not to be misled by misinformation.
Dr Sarma, who has been dealing with serious kidney complications, is currently undergoing treatment at Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS) in Kolkata.
He was airlifted from Guwahati after his condition worsened.
