Senapati: Inadequacy at PHC worries locals
Source: The Sangai Express

Senapati, June 04 2021: Shortage of doctors, inadequate manpower and incompletion of the institutional building at PHC, Khongdei worry the populace within the jurisdiction of the PHC.

W Ninghor, Chairman and Pf Themreichan, Secretary of Khongdei Khuman village in Senapati district requested for kind intervention of the authorities concerned towards the completion of Khongdei PHC building and deployment of adequate doctors and staff at the earliest.

A team of representatives of the Poumai Naga Union (PNU), Poumai Naga Women's Union (PNNM) and the Poumai Naga Students' Union (PNTM) visited the PHC to take stock of the situation.

During the visit it was found that the PHC has not been functioning properly till date.

Presently, the Khongdei PHC is operating in a house provided by the villagers temporarily.

The medical equipment, medicines and other amenities of the PHC are stored and operated in one room due to limited space.

Senapati: Inadequacy at PHC worries locals

Four doctors reported to be posted at the PHC out of which, two are being utilised at the District Hospital at Senapati and Mao Gate respectively and the PHC has reportedly no other medical staff which is required for effective functioning of a PHC as per the Indian Public Health Standard guidelines.

Hence, the PHC which covers around 10 villages with more than 15,000 population is functioning with only two doctors.

One of the villagers stated that the major problem is the absenteeism of the doctors and the doctors hardly report to the PHC once a month and the last visit by the doctors to the PHC was on April 28 .

It may be noted that the work order for construction of Khongdei PHC institutional building was issued in the year 2011 and it was set to be completed within six months.

However, the construction work was on hold for 6-7 years and the building is still incomplete till date.

Accordingly the villagers filed a Public Interest Litigation before the High Court of Manipur praying for a direction to complete the Khongdei PHC institutional building.

The case was disposed of in the year 2019 with the direction to complete the construction work within six months time.

However, the same was not complied with and a contempt petition has been reportedly filed recently before the court and the matter is reportedly kept pending before the High Court of Manipur till date.

In this connection, the chairman and secretary of the village requested the apex civil bodies to intervene into the matter concerned authorities for speedy completion of the PHC building and deployment of adequate doctors and staff for the welfare of the people within the jurisdiction of the PHC.

The 3 Poumai Naga frontal organizations expressed their disappointment over the abysmal state of the state run PHCs in the region with massive gaps in health infrastructures crippled by acute shortage of manpower.

There is no power back up system to assist in times of need as these PHCs are prone to erratic power supply and the basic requirements of drinking water and sanitary provisions are below standard with no proper water supply system in the PHCs.

With the grim situation of the ongoing second wave of COVID-19, there is an urgent need to increase the strength of personnel for virus testing with proper kits, efficient medical supplies, beds and other facilities.

Later in the evening, the team also visited the PHC, Laii where the PHC has only 1 doctor, 3 staff nurses, 1 pharmacist, 1 lab technician, 2 attendants and 1 grade IV.

The frontal organizations also appeal for more deployment of manpower for effective functioning of the PHC which is reportedly run by an NGO.