Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha made a surprise visit to Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital and Agartala Government Dental College on April 5, 2025. He walked through the wards, inspected the condition of the infrastructure, and interacted directly with patients and medical staff. His message was clear: no compromise on patient care will be tolerated. He urged everyone in the medical fraternity to treat their responsibilities with utmost seriousness and compassion.
As he stepped into the hospital corridors without any prior intimation, doctors, nurses, and administrative staff scrambled to maintain order. The Chief Minister visited the emergency, general, and maternity wards. He asked several patients about their experiences and listened attentively to their grievances. He instructed the hospital superintendent to take immediate action on complaints that included long wait times and inadequate cleanliness in some sections.
During his visit to the Dental College, the Chief Minister reviewed the teaching facilities and the condition of dental equipment. He interacted with students and enquired about the academic curriculum, availability of faculty, and hands-on training opportunities. He appreciated the dedication of students but warned that any laxity from faculty in providing practical learning would reflect poorly on the government’s efforts to uplift medical education in the state.
CM Saha emphasized that the state government had invested significantly in health infrastructure, and it was now up to the professionals to ensure those investments benefited people directly. He expressed concern that some hospitals and medical institutions had become complacent. He said that his government would not tolerate any form of negligence or delay in providing medical attention.
He also met with hospital administration officials and reviewed key issues like medicine availability, number of functional beds, and the presence of specialists across departments. He stressed the need for a more efficient referral system so that patients could be sent to appropriate departments or facilities without delay. He told staff members that technology must be used actively for record keeping and that digitization of patient data must become routine to streamline treatment.
The Chief Minister also instructed the Health Department to submit weekly monitoring reports on public hospitals and medical colleges. He said these visits would not be one-off events but part of a broader effort to build a healthcare system that meets people’s expectations. He warned that if lapses in patient care came to his notice again, departmental heads would face disciplinary action.
Following the visit, CM Saha posted on social media that patient dignity and proper treatment remained non-negotiable under his government. He said that hospital services must reflect a human touch, not bureaucratic indifference. His post received support from many Tripura residents, with some thanking him for stepping in personally to address healthcare concerns.
Meanwhile, the medical fraternity acknowledged the urgency conveyed by the CM. Doctors said that such visits reminded them of their larger duty toward society. Nursing staff promised to improve communication with patients and ensure cleanliness. Medical students noted that the CM’s interaction left a positive impact on their motivation to serve the public honestly and skillfully.
This inspection marks a new phase in Tripura’s healthcare narrative, where top officials hold institutions accountable through action rather than announcements. The CM’s message rang loud and clear: the healthcare system must work not just efficiently, but ethically and empathetically.
His visit has set a precedent for more such surprise inspections in the future. The government wants to keep all public health institutions alert, responsive, and responsible. As CM Saha continues to spotlight public welfare through action, the people of Tripura remain hopeful that such gestures will soon translate into long-term, sustained improvements in their day-to-day access to quality medical care.
After completing the hospital and dental college inspections, Chief Minister Manik Saha held a brief review meeting with senior officials from the Health and Family Welfare Department. He instructed them to conduct similar surprise audits across other district hospitals and health centres. He asked the department to maintain real-time data on essential services such as blood bank availability, emergency response time, and doctor attendance. He stressed that patients should never face uncertainty about receiving care, whether in urban hubs or remote villages.
The Chief Minister also raised concerns about patient feedback mechanisms. He asked hospital administrators to set up visible feedback kiosks where attendants and patients could record their complaints and suggestions without fear. He made it clear that the government would take each complaint seriously and would act on feedback within a fixed time frame. He said accountability could only grow stronger when citizens actively participate in the improvement of institutions.
Later in the day, Dr. Saha met with representatives from Tripura Medical Council and directed them to organize regular training workshops for doctors and medical staff. He asked them to create refresher courses on ethical conduct, medical empathy, and the importance of punctuality and hygiene. He told them that patients often felt neglected not because of lack of medicine or equipment but due to poor communication from healthcare workers.
The CM also suggested introducing a mentorship program within medical colleges, where senior doctors could take personal interest in grooming young professionals. He said nurturing the next generation of medical leaders could not be left to textbooks alone. He highlighted the need for a strong foundation in values and discipline from the earliest stages of medical education.