172 posts of doctors lying vacant in health centres in Ganjam

Berhampur: As many as 172 of the 328 sanctioned posts of doctors in Ganjam district, which recently saw an outbreak of diarrhoea, are lying vacant in health centres, an official said here on Monday.

"We have apprised the government of the status of doctors in the district and requested that vacant posts be filled up soon," Chief District Medical Officer Manoj Kumar Behera said.

Zilla parishad members in a meeting held at Chhatrapur over the week-end expressed concern over the condition of health services when Behera took stock of the situation in the district.

Several members of the zilla parishad requested the MLAs of the district to inform Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about the situation. Patnaik represents Hinjili in the district in the state Assembly.

The water-borne disease has claimed three lives and affected over 150 people in Jagannath Prasad block, while over 50 people were affected by the disease in Polasara block and around 100 were affected in Kabisurya Nagar town recently.

Additional District Medical Officer (public health) R Jagadees Patnaik said that the situation in the diarrhoea affected areas was under control.

"No fresh case was reported from Polsara and Jagannath Prasad, while three new cases have been reported from Kabisurya Nagar," he said.