By Our Reporter
Shillong: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) of the Narpuh circle, East Jaintia Hills, on Tuesday, asked the State Government to improve the condition of the Lumshnong and Umkiang PHCs stating that these PHCs are running without doctors and staff besides other equipment.
Apprising deputy chief minister Incharge of health Rowel Lyngdoh on this matter here in the city on Tuesday, the KSU Narpuh Circle president RM Bamon said the PHC at Lumshnong is left with no doctor while the Umkiang PHC has been shut down since March this year following the completion of the tender of a local NGO (Akhil Bharatiya Kishan Samity).
On inspection, the union had found that the Lumshnong PHC functions with only one doctor, who has had to do all the jobs from attending to ailing patients to handling the administrative work. “Shortage of manpower and lack of materials, like medical equipment was coupled with the transfer of the lone doctor serving at the PHC recently”, Bamon said.
The KSU president said that most of the serious patients had to be sent to Jowai or Shillong for better treatment, which is causing a lot of inconvenience to the public. This PHC which was inaugurated on December 15, 2010 has rendered good services to the people of this area for the past one and a half year. It caters to 14 villages with more than 18 thousand people and more than 35 patients every day.
Meanwhile, Bamon stated that the Umkiang PHC was shutdown since March 2012, as the tender of the NGO has ended; but till date, no staff or doctors were appointed to take charge of the PHC.
“In such circumstances, people have had to go all the way up to Khliehriat or Assam even for minor medical treatment, thus, causing much difficulty to the people especially during rainy the season”, the KSU president said. Adding to the statement, he mentions that even the quarters are in a dilapidated condition.
Besides the above, Bamon also stated that the PHC has fallen short of proper power supply, ambulances, water supply, medical equipment and many other important things.
Meanwhile, the deputy chief minister In-charge of health, Rowel Lyngdoh, has assured the union that officers will be sent to the mentioned PHCs to conduct an on-field inspection besides taking up efforts to address the people’s grievances.
