Peeved councillors
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 29 2012:
Contending that normal functioning of Sugnu Community Health Centre has almost ceased due to inadequate number of doctors on duty, councillors and a member secretary of Sugnu Municipal Council have threatened to launch agitation against the Government of Manipur if the issue not addressed at the earliest.
Speaking to newspersons at Manipur Press Club today in the presence of five other Councillors and the Member Secretary, Council chairperson Puyam Ibocha said for over a month patients seeking medical solace at the Centre have been facing severe inconveniences as there are no doctor in attendance with the exception of the Medical Officer in-charge.
the MO in-charge Dr L Saratchandra is the only medical practitioner present at the centre as nine out of the total strength of 10 doctors, have either been transferred or are on leave, informed the chairperson.
Maintaining that the health centre had been running with the lone doctor from about March 25, Ibocha said that with the Sugnu facility one of the busiest medical centres due to large number of patients from Chandel, Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Thoubal districts also coming to get medical treatment/advice paucity of doctors is posing threat to safety of the patients.
With the onset of summer season normally associated with outbreak of different diseases the Sugnu facility unable to cope with the number of patients will only endanger the poor public, expressed the chairperson while pointing out that travelling about 70 kilometres to reach Imphal for treatment is an impossible task for many patients with weak economic background.
Despite upgrading to the level of CHC the medical facility is still short of five doctors according to prescribed norms, he claimed.
Conveying that shortage of drinking water is another chronic problem besieging the sugnu public for years, Ibocha mentioned that some years after completion of the Sugnu Water Supply Scheme in 1975 the people had access to clean drinking water.
However, following Government plan for increasing the Scheme's capacity in 2004 drinking water provision has ceased completely with no change in the situation till date, the chairperson claimed and informed that about 7000 people had been directly affected.
Murky water from the Imphal River and a few hand-pumps around Sugnu town are the only sources of water for the locals, he added.
Highlighting other inconveniences being faced by the people, Ibocha mentioned that only 10 days of electricity is being supplied for the whole of Sugnu town retired Government employees and common citizens have to travel to Imphal for financial transaction as the lone Rural Bank has ceased service since 1998 on security ground.
Demanding that the Government act expeditiously to ameliorate suffering of the people, the chairperson cautioned that in case of failure to understand the public intense agitation would be launched against the Government in collaboration with the general public.