Health ministry deploys several teams of doctors to violence-hit Manipur

The Union Health Ministry has deployed several teams of doctors to strife-torn Manipur with immediate effect on the direction of Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Six teams, with four doctors each specialising in surgery, psychiatry, medicine, obs and gynaecology, paediatric, urology and emergency care, will support the state in providing health facilities that have been adversely impacted due to the ongoing strife, a ministry statement said on Wednesday.

The teams consist of doctors from AIIMS-Kalyani, AIIMS-Guwahati and NEIGRIHMS-Shillong, it said.

Ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur nearly a month ago after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

After a relative lull for over a fortnight, the state witnessed a sudden spurt in clashes, and gunfight between militants and security forces on Sunday. So far, over 80 people have been killed in the violence, according to officials.