Lamtaput/Ankadeli: Villagers locked a primary health centre (PHC) at Ankadeli under Lamtaput block in Koraput district after authorities of Machhkund hydroelectricity project handed over its management to a Andhra Pradesh-based private hospital, a report said.
The private hospital not only took over the management of the Ankadeli Project PHC but also transferred its regular staff November 1. The transfer of doctors and paramedical staff brought the hospital to a closure.
As a result, the health centre is now left with no doctors or staff following which residents in three panchayats including Machhkund, Dickenput, Badigarh, Ankadeli, Jodaamba, Godiputa, Ridal, Gutalput, Badadural and Hantalput and the residents in Khairaput block of Malkangiri district are being deprived of healthcare facilities. Now, they have to travel over 27 km from Ankadeli to Lamtaput to meet their healthcare needs.
This led to anger among the villagers who locked and the health centre. However, no senior officials turned up to address their concerns. Later, engineer J Satya Narayan met them and held discussions with them, but the talks remained inconclusive. The villagers have refused to unlock the health centre unless their demands were met.
PNN