KSU sets deadline for appointment of health officer

Mawkyrwat: The KSU, South West Khasi Hills unit, on Friday set a one-week deadline to the state government to appoint a permanent District Medical & Health Officer in the district.
Informing that the health centre has been functioning without a permanent DM&HO for almost a year, the union asserted that if the government fails to meet the deadline then they will be compelled to agitate.
Assistant education secretary KSU Pulljohn Wanniang said that there have been several complaints about shortage of doctors and other manpower at the CHC Mawkyrwat. The health centre also lacks machinery, beds and other basic facilities, he added.
The union had also met health minister AL Hek several times and apprised him about the irregularities in the health centre but nothing has been done till date.
Wanniang also said that the union was surprised that the much-awaited 100-bed hospital at Mawkyrwat was still pending even after 8 years of laying of the foundation stone. “It is very unfortunate that the government cannot see the problems faced by the people,” he said. “There are many instances where patients have to wait for hours to see the doctor and even the emergency room functions without any service,” the union said. “As majority of the people come from a poor background and cannot afford to go to Shillong for treatment, the inability of the health centre to provide good health services has affected the people of the district,” the union said.