SANTIRBAZAR, Jan 12 (TIWN): Though several initiatives have been taken to provide high budget medicine in low cost to the common mass, the poor condition of the referral hospitals and the Primary Health CentreS are still bothering the health service in the State.

The Baikhora Primary Health Centre (PHC) has been providing poor quality medicine, poor health service resulting in harassment to the patients. Despite of the government’s repeated assurance in developing the medical services, the Baikhora PHC at Santirbazar is not running properly. There are many irregularities with regard to the availability of essential drugs and the treatment given to patients.

Furthermore, the PHC is grappling with staff shortage. The acute shortage of staff especially doctors in the PHC is badly affecting delivery of proper health services. As per the sources, the PHC has only 2 doctors. While a visit to the PHC the maximum service centres were noticed remaining closed. The patients alleged that the hospital is providing a poor service.

The patients said that they are not getting anything on time. Doctor denied Post mortem  on last Monday while one passenger died  at Baikhora as post mortem facilities and staffs were not available in the PHC. Most of the time relatives were facing problem while getting death certificate. Even  police was also unable to solve many investigation as far as post mortem is concerned. 

Nobody can tell when the staffs arrive and when they depart. There is a chamber of ICTC which is scheduled to open everyday from 10 am to 2 pm, but, it remained close on Jan 7. When asked of the issue, Dr tried to evade the question. He said, “Our PHC is facing staff shortage as an effect of which we are not able to provide proper medical services. We are very sorry for that, yet, we are trying to provide better facilities to the patients”. “Besides, whatever problems you have reported, I will try my level best to sort out those problems”, added he.

Attention should be paid over the deplorable condition of the Baikhora PHC otherwise the patients would be deprived of proper medical facilities. The study has shown that something is wrong somewhere. A probe is required to find out whether the poor benefit at all and what sort of health services is available to them. Primary health centres in all the districts of the state need to be investigated and corrupt practices ended.