Ersama: The Ersama community health centre (CHC) of this block in Jagatsinghpur district is suffering due to lack of doctors. Five out of the eight departments do not have doctors, alleged patients and their relatives.
Former MP Loknath Choudhury had set up a hospital here to provide healthcare facilities to people of 25 panchayats in Ersama block. It has now become a health centre, but the woes of the people have remained the same.
The CHC which has 30 beds now is well-maintained but then it fails to meet its real purpose – to provide medical facilities to the patients.
Doctors are required for pediatric, gynecology, orthopedics and medicine departments. The post of superintendent is also lying vacant for a substantial time now.
“Residents here are generally poor. They suffer the most when they come to the CHC. As there is a lack of doctors, patients are forced to go to the Balikuda government hospital or the Jagatsinghpur DHH. Sometimes they also have to visit the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. For patients and their families the process is time-consuming and expensive,” rued villagers.
“There are 30 sub-health centres under the Ersama CHC. However, most of these are functioning without health workers,” they alleged.
The sub-health centres running without trained health workers are Bhitar Andhari, Barabatia, Bhirang, Paida and Japa.
When asked, Erasma CHC officer in-charge Dr Amiya Swain acknowledged the shortage of doctors. “We need specialists to deliver quality health facilities,” he said. “The quicker the vacant posts are filled up, the better for the people,” he said
Local people have urged the district health department and higher officials to consider their problems seriously and take proper steps to fix them.
PNN