SHILLONG, April 25: Concerned over the non-availability of life-saving medicines at Shella PHC and Ichamati CHC in East Khasi Hills, the HYC Shella Area unit has asked the District Medical and Health Officer of East Khasi Hills to ensure provision of medicines for the said health centres even as it flagged the suspected cases of typhoid fever among the residents of Shella village and its adjoining areas.
In a letter to the DM&HO, the HYC urged the official to take serious note of the non-availability of medicines in the two health centres which fall under Sohra Civil Sub-division. According to the organisation, a young patient with high fever visited Shella PHC on Tuesday and a check-up revealed that he had typhoid fever. But the PHC was allegedly unable to treat the patient due to non-availability of medicines.
The HYC said he was referred to Ichamati CHC, located around 13-15 km away. On reaching the the health centre, the patient was again told that the necessary medicines were not available at the CHC. He was further referred to Sohra CHC, which is around 45 km from Shella village.
“This is totally unacceptable as the said Ichamati CHC, being the First Referral Unit (FRU) from the adjoining PHCs, which cater to a population of thousands of Villagers, does not even have stock of life-saving medicines to treat a disease like typhoid fever. This has put the life of that particular patient and others who are suffering from such type of diseases at a great risk, which may even lead to a loss of precious lives,” the HYC stated.
Expressing apprehensions that the a person infected with bacteria that causes typhoid fever could infect others, the HYC urged the DM&HO to give directions to the concerned health officer in Shella PHC to conduct tests on patients with fever in the village to find the causes of the fever, conduct awareness programme in the village on preventive measures, symptoms, and treatment of typhoid fever.
