Cots, slings still only option to shift patients to hospital in Koraput

Koraput: Despite tall claims of Odisha government about its efforts to provide basic healthcare facilities to tribals living in remote locations, patients continue to be shifted to hospitals in cots and slings in Koraput district.

For the residents of Turli village under Narayanpatna block, such traditional methods are the only source to shift critical patients to the nearest hospital as the region lacks proper road connectivity.

In one such incident, Muduli Huinka of Turli village had to be carried on a sling for 8 km before he was shifted to the nearest Matalpur hospital.

“My husband was down with high fever so we carried him on a sling to this hospital. Everyday pregnant women are also being brought here in similar manner,” Muduli’s wife Kathi Huinka said.

Not only in Narayanpatna, villagers of Tentulipatra and Bijaghati panchayats are also depending on slings to shift ailing patients since years.

Local residents allege that though the tender process for the construction of road was completed three years back in these two panchayats, the construction work is yet to begin.

Due to lack of proper road connectivity, ambulances can't reach the villages.

A local resident Dayanidhi Pradhan said,“Not only Turli, other villages of Tentulipatra also have no access to proper roads. We have come to know that tenders were cancelled twice in the past.”

However, a state government official claimed that the government is trying its best to complete the road construction work.

“Our government is trying its best to complete the road work under Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana (GGY) and Bjiu KBK Yojana. We will discuss with the district collector on how this work can be done at the earliest,” said Koraput Zilla Parishad Chairman, Prabhu Jani.

When contacted, Narayanpatna BDO refused to comment on the issue.