Machhedi hospital without ambulance
Excelsior Correspondent
BILLAWAR (Kathua), Dec 31: The Government Hospital at remote Tehsil headquarters, Machhedi in Billawar area of Kathua district is without Ambulance for the last about eight years while many posts of medical staff are lying vacant there since long.
While the Modi Government is focusing much on the health care facilities of the citizens but this entire remote and far-flung belt of Machhedi, Badnota and Lohai- Malhar in Kathua district is suffering badly. There is no MBBS doctor, Laboratory, X-ray/ ECG or Ultrasound facility in the hospitals of the area while an Ambulance (307) which was provided to the hospital once about 10 years back has been withdrawn by the BMO Billawar for the reason best known to him.
The helpless people of this remote belt including Sarpanches and Panches are moving from pillar to the post and even met ADC/BMO Billawar, CMO and Deputy Commissioner Kathua several times but nothing happened except false assurance. The officers at the helm, of affairs are just buying time without bothering about the sufferings of about 32,000 population of 10 adjoining Panchayats. The pregnant women are the worst affected as many of them delivered babies on way to Billawar Hospital and several lost their infants/ new borns.
Karam Din, Sarpanch Machhedi told Excelsior that their Ambulance was taken away about eight (8) years ago on the pretext of repair work to Jammu, but that vehicle was never returned to this hospital. The BMO Billawar was approached many times but he only gave false assurance but it has been learnt that this Ambulance has been retained by BMO at Billawar Hospital. In case of any emergency, the people are forced to hire private vehicles, which are hardly available in this remote area.
Sarpanch said there are three sanctioned posts of doctors but only one Ayurvedic doctor is available here. Post of dental doctor is also sanctioned, but he too, is rarely seen. Several posts are lying vacant and building is also small. The hospital needs upgradation. There is an old Ayurvedic Dispensary in the town but posts of Dawasaz and doctor are lying vacant since long. Only one employee is running it.
Naib Sarpanch , Bhag Singh and Panches- Rattan Chand and Hem Raj said health care in the area is totally lying in shambles. The District Administration appears unconcerned and ineffective. No senior officer visits to this area.
They pointed out that Tehsildar’s post is sanctioned at Machhedi Tehsil but officer functions from Billawar only. People are forced to visit Billawar covering over 34 kms distance for any small Revenue work, Naib tehsildar’s post is lying vacant since long as after retirement of previous one, no new Revenue officer was posted at Machhedi Tehsil. Large Revenue complex with residential quarters exists at tehsil headquarters but Tehsildar stays away. He even hardly visits Lohai- Malhar blocks. They said Divisional Commissioner and Chief Secretary must intervene into the matter and also upgrade this hospital to SDH/ or Community Health Centre (CHC) level.
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