*Docs available at a distance of at least 30 km
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 21: Contrary to the tall claims of the successive Governments in the State about making healthcare facilities available at the door steps of the people, vast population of remote areas of Doda district is being compelled to travel minimum 30 kilometres of distance to reach the doctors even for the treatment of minor ailments. This is because the dynamism which was shown in getting two Primary Health Centres (PHCs) sanctioned for these areas was subsequently replaced by non-seriousness.
Sources told EXCELSIOR that keeping in view much hue and cry from around 20,000 population of Bharath and Gundna areas of Doda district over lack of healthcare facilities, two Primary Health Centers were sanctioned in the year 2009-10 as per the Detailed Project Report approved by the NABARD authorities.
This decision generated a ray of hope among vast populace of these areas about getting healthcare facilities at their door-step within next one or two years. However, the successive Governments in the State in general and Health Ministers in particular played truant with them as no-seriousness was ever shown to get the work started on both the PHCs.
What to talk of getting the construction work started despite release of full funds amounting to Rs 2.25 crore for the civil component even land was not acquired for these PHCs as a result of which the funds remained blocked till date, sources informed.
As far as PHC at Gundna is concerned, the land which was identified due to the political intervention was not at all feasible for construction of health center as there was no approach road to the site. “It is ironical that such a site was identified which is still five kilometers away from the proper road”, sources rued.
As far as PHC at Bharath is concerned, the land was not identified during the last six years as no seriousness was ever shown by the Health Department to provide much needed healthcare facilities to a vast population.
“Due to the dilly-dallying tactics of the successive Governments and Health Ministers the population of these areas have virtually lost hope about getting Primary Health Centers”, sources said, adding “it is a matter of serious concern that not even one brick could be laid during the past six years for these two PHCs”.
They disclosed that due to the failure of the Governments to ensure construction of these two PHCs, the people of Gundana and Bharath are still being compelled to travel at least 30 kilometer distance to avail the services of doctors even for the treatment of minor ailments. “The pregnant women are the worst victims as they don’t get healthcare facilities in the need of hour”, sources pointed out.
Stating that objective of sanctioning these PHCs has been defeated due to non-serious approach of the concerned authorities, sources said, “the tall claims of the successive Governments about making healthcare facilities at the door steps of the people have turned out to be hollow”, adding “the fate of these PHCs clearly indicates that Government only believes in playing truant with the people of remote areas instead of meeting their demands and fulfilling the commitments made with them”.
“What could be the worst example of lack of governance than the fate of these two PHCs”, sources remarked, adding “inability to start work on much-needed health centers during last six years establishes that there is nobody to listen to the grievances of people of remote and far-off areas”.
When contacted, MLA from Doda, Shakti Parihar said that on his intervention one villager has agreed to provide free of cost land at most suitable place for establishment of PHC at Gundana, adding similarly land has also been identified in respect of PHC at Bharath.
“I am regularly following the issue and hopefully land would be handed over to the executing agency very shortly so as to ensure early start of construction work”, he said, adding “it was due to lack of interest by the previous MLA from the area that these areas have been deprived of the healthcare facilities at their door-steps”.
Follow our WhatsApp channel