Thanga PHC facing immense grievances in extending healthcare services to locals
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 17 2019: Thanga Primary Health Centre (PHC) which bagged the District Level Award of PHC under Kayakalp Scheme is going through a difficult phase in catering its services to the public owing to the shortage of staff nurse and Grade IV staff apart from the absence of a single specialist doctor.

According to the PHC authorities, out of the seven nurses available in the PHC two had been transferred to other hospitals while two other nurses are undergoing further training at different places leaving the entire task to the remaining three nurses of the centre.

The vacant posts for nurse have not been filled till date, added the authorities.

On the other hand, the PHC, to minimize the hurdles suffered by the hospital in meeting the requirements of the nursing duty in the 6 bedded PHC which operates 24*7, hired two nurses at the salary of Rs 5000 per month.

However, the PHC is still facing a difficult situation while catering nurse duty even after hiring two nurses, the authorities added.

N Renuka, who is the MO of the PHC informed that there is not a single specialist among the doctors in the PHC.

She said that the absence of specialist doctor has often resulted to face critical situation in addressing the needs of patients, especially in dealing critical/special cases like child delivery.

Referring the patients/villagers with critical cases to bigger hospitals is not possible all the time due to different factors including lack of proper transportation, location of the village at a far-flung area etc.

She maintained that there is a growing need of specialist doctors in the PHC noting that the number of population covered by the PHC is relatively larger than other usual PHCs in the nearby locations and the village surrounding Loktak lake area used to rely at the said healthcare unit.

Oinam Ibohal, who has been working as a Grade IV staff for many years pointed out that the frequent transfer of doctors and staff in the hospital is another big hurdle in the PHC as this leads to recurrent disturbance in setting up a good atmosphere in the hospital and in building good relationship between doctors and patients, more particularly between pregnant women and doctors.

Lamenting that the authorities concerned has failed to send requisite Grade IV staff in the PHC, he claimed that the available staff in the hospitals carry out multiple tasks, including sweeping and cleaning the centre.

Further saying that the road (entrance) leading to PHC is very steep, Ibohal asserted that the failure to black top and maintain the road by the authority concerned has posed immense grievances to the patients.

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