Shillong: Shyntorbulia village in Ri-Bhoi district has experienced its first-ever free community health check-up camp, bringing essential medical services to one of the most geographically isolated settlements in the region. The check-up camp was organised on Saturday.The hamlet is cut off from the main road by two rivers on either side and hills on the remaining two, making access to healthcare extremely difficult. The nearest govt dispensary is about 15km at Mawhati, while Nongpoh Civil Hospital is nearly 30km from the village.
“Around 80 patients from the village availed free consultations and received essential medicines,” said Shaina N Sangma, director of Rongjeng Welfare Foundation Shyntorbulia.In Dec 2025, villagers constructed a temporary bridge over the Umsha river, providing a crucial link to the nearest motorable road towards Nongpoh. The health camp was organised by the RWF, a non-profit working with underserved communities.A medical team led by Dr Naggroi Lyngdoh Nongpiur from Bethany Hospital attended to patients, along with doctors Dr Trinayan Patowari, Dr Kaushik Hazaricka, and Dr Krishnakshi Baishya.“Around 80 patients from the village availed free consultations and received essential medicines,” said Shaina N Sangma, director of RWF Shyntorbulia.Rosanna Lyngdoh, project manager of the foundation, said the camp was a much-needed intervention. She added that similar camps are planned every month until the temporary bridge becomes unusable during the monsoon.Local residents expressed gratitude for the initiative, stressing that regular outreach programmes are vital for remote villages like Shyntorbulia, where distance, terrain, and seasonal isolation continue to hinder access to healthcare.
