JOWAI: A primary health centre at Namdong village in West Jaintia Hills has become non functional in the absence of any doctor.
The doctor who was posted in the PHC has gone for higher studies and the Health department is yet to appoint a new doctor in his place.
The PHC, however, is being manned by an Ayurvedic doctor and a dentist but is heavily understaffed in terms of other staff, particularly nurses.
On Tuesday, the FKJGP Jaintia Hills District Unit along with members of the Sanshnong Development Committee inspected the PHC and interacted with the doctors and staff of the health centre.
According to FKJGP, residents of Namdong area have been complaining against the staff of the PHC and against the doctors and nurses who are not regular in attending their duty and never stay in the quarters provided to them.
“Shortage of medicines is also a major problem at the PHC,” informed the president of Sanshnong Development Committee, D.S. War.
Doctors also admitted that there is shortage in medicine supply to the PHC. “Not less than 50 patients come to the PHC daily, but we do not have enough medicines to treat the people,” said one of the staff.
Meanwhile, the PHC Namdong has been proposed for up gradation into a CHC.
The building and other infrastructures have been completed but the inauguration is yet to take place. The PHC has been shifted to the CHC building but the centre still functioning as a PHC. “We need good numbers of doctors and staff in order to upgrade the PHC into a CHC,” said a senior staff of the PHC.
