Tura, July 6: Several organizations from South Garo Hills on Wednesday staged a Sit-in demonstration at the Sibbari PHC over the lack of necessary facilities at the centre and to demand from the government that better healthcare facilities are provided for the hospital.
The Sit-in protest was organized by different units of various organizations including the GSU, FKJGP and ADE in which local residents also participated. Following the protest at the PHC, a memorandum with a list of various demands was also submitted to the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), to be forwarded to the Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
Some of the demands made by the organizations in the memorandum include facility for issuance of birth certificates at the PHC, up-gradation of infrastructure, construction of staff quarters, appointment of sufficient staff, repair of toilets, sanctioning of an ambulance and the appointment of one medical officer and one sweeper. The organizations also demanded the setting up of a PHC at Gasuapara.
Meanwhile, the organizations informed that it would intensify the agitation and make the Sit-in protest indefinite from next week if nothing is done by the government on their demands.
“We will wait and watch for now. But if the government fails to act, we are ready to take it to another level (indefinite),” a leader of the protesting groups warned.