Joda: A sub-primary health centre was constructed on the roadside near Essar Steel under Bada Kalimati panchayat of this block in Keonjhar district five years ago to provide better healthcare to people in and around Dubuna.
However, after construction the health centre has not functioned even for a day forcing people to travel long distances for their healthcare needs at Kalimati.
If the health centre starts functioning, patients including elderly ones and pregnant women could have avoided travelling the long distance, villagers Rabindra Khamania, Balabhadra Patra, Laxman Giri and others said.
The sub-primary health centre was constructed in 2013-14. As it has remained unused for many years the building has become a haunted house with wild weeds growing in the compound and the building.
Surprisingly the health centre is now functioning from a rented building nearby. Asked about the nonfunctioning health centre building, health worker Meenakhi Naik, who is also in charge of the health centre, blamed its location.
As the health centre is located near a road that is always busy with mineral-carrying vehicles, mineral dust comes flying into the rooms. During the rainy season the place becomes muddy, making it impossible for people to come to the centre, she said. The building does not have water and electricity supply. What completes the picture is the illegal selling of liquor and ganja near the building, she said.
Due to these problems I have been providing health services to people from a rented house 200 meters from the building for seven years, she added.
She said she had informed the higher ups, the sarpanch and panchayat members about the problems.