Keonjhar: Even as healthcare services in remote areas of the mineral-rich Keonjhar district are virtually non-existent due to severe scarcity of doctors at PHCs and CHCs, the quacks are having a field day.
According to latest reports, against 358 sanctioned posts for doctors across the district, 197 are lying vacant.
Given such huge vacancies, one can imagine the kind of healthcare people are being forced to avail in rural hospitals, lamented social activists.
Such scenario is widely prevalent in remote mining pockets, despite the DMF having huge funds in the district. The DMF authorities have, meanwhile, appointed 37 doctors, but all vacancies are yet to be filled up, said social activists.
They pointed out that if the vacancies were not filled up, situation will drastically deteriorate in several areas.
It was alleged that quacks are taking advantage of the situation in some areas with poor tribals being exploited. Sometimes, they risk their lives at the hand of quacks.
People in Joda, Basudevpur, Bansapal and Barbil have lost faith in the healthcare system as PHCs lack doctors.
The district headquarters hospital is already ailing due to severe shortage of doctors.
The transfer of some senior doctors on promotion has added to the problem in the hospital as no doctors have replaced them.
The DHH requires 231 doctors, but only 148 doctors are managing healthcare services now. Specialist posts in obstetrics and genecology, skin and VD, radiology and TB departments have been lying vacant. Besides, 12 LTRMO posts have not been filled up.
CDMO Ashok Kumar Das said quacks are more active in Telkoi and Bansapal areas. He assured that they will be hauled up if they treat patients wrongly. The administration and the government are taking steps to fill up the vacancies as quickly as possible said Das.
PNN