| Woman delivers baby on road as 24x7 PHC at Shiv Khori remains off | | Health staff opts for private practice, patients suffer | | AB Sharma
Early Times Report
REASI, Aug 29: An expecting woman from Pouni Tehsil here had a narrow escape -delivering a baby on roadside as the concerned Public Health Center at Shiv Khori was illegally off. With this being the sorry state of health facilities in the area famous for round- the-year pilgrimage, the plight elsewhere can only be imagined.
For 26-year-old Parvati, wife of Pritam Singh of Ransoo, it has been a new lease of life. Her husband flanked by other protesting villagers said on August 27 Parvati developed labor pains and was rushed to PHC Shiv Khori at around 3:00 PM.
But to their shock, the PHC was closed. The family took the patient back home hoping that the PHC would be open by evening. "At 9:00 PM we again came here but there was no one," Pritam told Early Times
By now, Parvati started crying in pain. Her husband wanted to take her to some other hospital in the ambulance. But though the ambulance was parked at the PHC, the driver was absent.
Now, the poor family started looking for some local nurse. "Luckily we got in touch with Bimla Devi an Asha worker, who rushed out to help us," the family said. But Parvati cried in pain and there looked no chance of her delivery without hospitalization.
Finally at around 3:00 AM, the family managed to get a Private Taxi, to rush the patient to some hospital elsewhere. But on way, she delivered a baby, in painful condition, in the absence of due medical attention.
The family staged protests pleading what if the patient had died. "What is this young woman died, who would be responsible? Shouldn't the CMO and BMO be treated as killers who keep the PHC off only because the concerned staff greases their palms to stay off and resort to private practice elsewhere," the protesters said.
The villagers complained that the PHC stays off for five days a week and operates for a few hours on the other two days.
"This area hosts religious caves of Shiv Khori where pilgrims keep coming throughout the year. How can the government keep the PHC at such a place off," the area respectable asked.
They said despite repeated complaints, the government has failed to take the erring health officials to task.
The concerned CMO, being aware of the resentment among the area locals over "dysfunctional PHC", didn't respond to phone calls despite repeated attempts. Early Times called him 25 times atleast.
When contacted Director Health Jammu said the matter would be looked into. |
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