Bereft of trained staff Borobekra PHC remains defunct
Source: Chronicle News Service

Jiribam, January 30 2023: Even though the govern ment is claiming that it is giving major focus to providing primary healthcare services and facilities to the public, people in Borobekra sub-division of Jiribam district are left without any access to primary healthcare services as the only PHC in the sub-division remains defunct in the absence of trained healthcare staff.

Borobekra PHC is located at a distance of about 10 km from Jiri town along the Jiri-Tipaimukh road.

Though 10 km is not a long distance, any people visiting Borobekra sub division will feel a sense of travelling a long distance due to the deplorable condition of the road.

Amid such bad road connectivity, people of the area are left with no choice but to take help from Guwakhal army camp in times of medical emergency or intervention.

According to the local residents, the PHC has adequate building, staff quarters and infrastructure.

The only shortfall that the PHC is facing is lack of doctors and nurses.

A grade-IV employee is looking after the PHC.

In the absence of trained healthcare professionals, people of the area have to take the bumpy road for over 10 km to reach the 50-bedded CHC in Jiri town in case of medical emergency.

As a result of the situation, patients, who could plan their treatment schedule in advance, including expecting women, often stay in rented rooms or in houses of friends or relatives in Jiri town in advance to get medical intervention.

However, victims of medical emergencies such as road accidents are facing severe inconvenience in reaching Jiri town, the local residents said while recalling a recent incident of electrocution, in which the victim died on the way to Jiri CHC.

On the other hand, CMO Jiribam Dr E Okendro said that all the medical officers posted in Borobekra PHC, except one, had been transferred to other places.

The remaining MO is also recovering from a road accident.

As such, MOs from the CHC are utilised from time to time in providing OPD services in the PHC on some weekdays.

He further said that the health and family welfare department issued an order on December 23 last year transferring a medical officer to the PHC.

However, the medical officer has not reported for duty till date.

Once the doctor joins his/her duty, the PHC will be able to start functioning, he said.

Right now, there are only two staff in the PHC - a grade-IV employee, who had already filed application for voluntary retirement, and a male health supervisor.

Though the sanctioned strength of medical officers for the PHC is five, at least two medical officers and two staff nurses are required to make the PHC functional, the CMO confided.

Comment