 Arun Trisal
Early Times Report
Billawar, June 16: Health Minister Chowdhary Lal Singh may be busy in overhauling health sector across the state but his home district is craving for even basic health amenities.
Take the case of Primary Health Centre, Machhedi, which is 40 km from Billawar and falls under Bani Assembly segment. The PHC sans basic infrastructure. There are 20 posts sanctioned, but only 11 people are deployed and their unpunctuality often sparks protests from patients visiting the OPD or emergency.
Mukhtar Ahmad, sarpanch of Kindi, said they raised the issue before the officials concerned during their visit to Machhedi, but to no avail.
"People have to approach sub district hospital Billawar during emergency, especially in delivery cases," he said. He said the government has sanctioned one ambulance, which however is not in a working condition and people have to arrange private cabs in emergency.
Mukhtar said he had apprised Lal Singh about the PHC's plight but the latter sanctioned five ambulances for SDH Basohli and none for the PHC.
Ironically, PHC Machhedi is meant for allopathic treatment, but doctors from Ayush background have been deployed there. And these Ayush doctors occasionally visit the PHC like tourists.
Even basic vaccines TT, BCG, OPV, HEP, DPT, measles etc which are available free in government hospitals and PHCs aren't available at PHC Machhedi. There is no laboratory either.
Khushi Ram, sarpanch of Machhedi, told Early Times, "We have PHC but it exists on papers only. Whenever I visited the PHC, I found administrative room, IPD and even OPD locked during daytime and nobody was there."
Ram also alleged that substandard medicine is given to patients at the PHC. BMO Billawar block, Dr Lakhwinder Singh, admitted that there were various deficiencies in the centre. He said nine posts are lying vacant but they would be fulfilled soon. He also assured that a new ambulance would be arranged soon. |
