‘A doctor in the PHC, please’

BALANGIR: Even as Covid-19 cases continue to rise, around 150 locals of Tusra on Monday took out a 30-km march to Balangir seeking deployment of a doctor in the local primary health centre (PHC).Gathered under the banner of Youth Action Committee (YAC), they submitted a memorandum to Sub Collector Lambodar Dharua over doctor shortage in Tusra PHC.

The PHC caters to a population of around 50,000 but runs with only one doctor and in his absence, a pharmacist is entrusted with the lives of critical patients who have no choice but to visit the PHC for treatment, said Srikanta Bag of YAC. Last year, a doctor was posted on contract basis but within a few days, he was made permanent and transferred to Kalahandi. Another doctor was to replace him but is yet to join duty, claimed the activists.

Despite Tusra being a Notified Area Council under Titlagarh constituency of the ruling party, negligence by the government has forced them to take such a step, the activists said. CDMO Bhima Sahu assured that the department is trying to address the issue.