Members of a youth organisation in Mithilanchal area of north Bihar have began a campaign on social media to open primary and additional primary health centres (PHC) in villages owing to the spread of COVID-19.
“In our areas in Mithilanchal, the primary and additional PHCs, wellness centres are shut. At some places, there is no doctor, while at others, the buildings are dilapidated. People have to walk 25 km to get the primary health support. So, we started a campaign #AphcChalukaro while making contacts and coordination with youths and our campaign now is taking the shape of a movement”, according to Aditya Mohan Jha who, along with friend Anup Maithil is associated with the Mithila Students Union (MSU).
The campaign had forced several primary and additional PHCs to open with doctors and nurses.
“It is because of this campaign, the youths of Saharsa district’s Bangaon village, which is one of biggest villages of the State with nearly 1 lakh population and three panchayats, associated themselves with others on social media and put pressure on the administration to open a closed PHC. It was was constructed out of ₹65 lakh and stuffed with fodder for cattle. Our campaign make local people aware and within two days, health workers and doctors marked their presence at the village health centre”, Mr. Jha told The Hindu over phone.
He appealed to youths all across the State to run such campaign in their villages and areas on social media and they “were ready to support them”.
Similarly, youths of Maniyari village in Muzaffarpur district too got united and recently forced the administration to open the closed health centre in their village, he stated. “This campaign has now marked its presence in several villages of Mithilanchal and other districts of north Bihar. The MSU national president, along with us, is making youths of the villages aware about the campaign and our support on social media for this,” he noted.
Other villages
When asked what are the other villages where their campaign had been successful, Mr. Jha quickly mentioned Siswar in Phulparas of Madhubani district and Rasiyari and Raghopur villages in neighboring Darbhanga district. “Youths and local people in these villages have got united through our campaign and put pressure on authorities to open closed health centres in their respective areas”, he said.
“Gradually this campaign is gaining ground especially in Mithilanchal areas of north Bihar. The local authorities and people’s representatives are forced to make visits to the health centres and keep things in order for common people during this difficult time.”
In utter neglect
There are thousands of PHCs and additional PHCs in the State and the condition of most of them are deplorable with no doctors, paramedics, nurses, infrastructure and dilapidated buildings. Several of them rarely get opened and at some places, villagers used them to stuff fodder and tie their cattle.
“We would like to appeal to all youths of the State to run this campaign in their villages and areas on social media to put pressure on local authorities for better health facilities and support at local level itself,” Mr. Jha added.