Balasore: Patients at two hospitals in Remuna block of Balasore district have to depend on the compounders in absence of doctors. Such is the situation at Srijanga and Bedipur Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
While compounder of Srijanga PHC Muralidhar Mohapatra said he treats patient in absence of the doctor, compounder of Bedipur PHC Samir Kumar Dutt said he provides first aid treatment, medicines or refers them to another hospital in case of emergency, as the centre lacks a doctor.
With only six staff, more than 15,000 people are dependent on each of the hospitals. But doctors are not to be seen and the Bedipur PHC even lacks bed for patients.
The villagers alleged that despite repeated complaints no action is been taken. They have threatened to take to streets if the matter is not solved.
“Doctors are coming only once in a week and whoever is coming is only staying till 12 noon. No one is present in the OPD, patients are facing problems in case of emergency,” said a resident of Srijanga Hrusikesh Behera.
A resident of Bedipur Jagannath Behera said, “More than 150 patients come to the centre in presence of doctor. As the doctor is not here the patients are facing a lot of problem and are shifted to Balasore hospital. We have apprised the CDMO about the situation, we will meet him again for the last time and after that all villagers will stage dharna in front of the hospital.”
On the other hand the CDMO said that doctor of Bedipur PHC has been transferred and a complaint has been received against the doctor of Srijanga PHC that she remains absent frequently.
Talking to OTV CDMO Vivekananda Das said, “The doctor of Bedipur PHC has been transferred since one month and no one has been appointed in his place. A lady doctor has been appointed at Srijanga PHC and we have received complaint that she is irregular in duty. We will take action on it and write to her to attend duty regularly at the hospital.”