RTI activists of Baliapal block have threatened to embark on an indefinite agitation from March 3 demanding filling of vacant posts of doctors and paramedics.
Alleging the poor health services in the block, they told the block had only six doctors against 20 sanctioned posts in the seven CHCs and PHCs.
Despite several appeals and earlier agitations and assurances by the authorities, while the situation has remained unchanged, they decided to launch the agitation for an indefinite period in front of the Idco Hospital from Tuesday till fulfillment of their demands.
A decision in this regard was taken by the activists led by their president Anuj Kumar Mohapatra.
They besides stating that the doctors and paramedics posts were lying vacant since years, they also said previously they agitated in different forms including holding a road picketing and hunger strike etc. on September 15,2018 , October 10, 2018 and latest on February 14 , 2019.
Although last year, the then Chief District Medical Officer had assured that the vacancies would be filled within a month yet it was in vain, they alleged.
They further alleged that the rural health service received a jolt as some CHCs and PHCs were running without doctors. There is no doctor in 5 PHcs including Ghantua, Jamkunda, Srirampur , Langaleswar and Bolang. In the Pratapur CHC there are only three doctors against vacancies of eight.
Most importantly, the block headquarters hospital (CHC) known as Idco Hospital doesn’t have required number of doctors where at least 300 patients visit daily. In the CHC, posts of gynecology, surgery and medicine were lying vacant. One pediatrician was managing the show as in –charge doctor of the CHC .
The activists observed that while the Government was insisting on the institutional delivery, in the want of doctor, the nurses were performing doctors' duties. As a result un-time death of newborn was taking place, they alleged.
Further, they said that the patients were not getting dental care service as there was no infrastructure.
CDMO Banarjee Prasad Chhotray said that the staff position had been informed to the State Government, urging to fill the vacant posts.
