It’s seemingly a cruel joke on the vast swathe of rural populace in Odisha as the Government health centres are mostly devoid of essential facilities. What a patient needs utmost when admitted to a health centre is a bed and doctor to treat any emergency condition. However, it is in these critical needs Odisha fares poorest nationally as it lags behind Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, considered poor performers in health indices.
Sample this. Health Department’s 2014 data shows the State has around 1,305 Primary Health Centres (PHCs). Though it is mandatory to have at least four beds in each PHC, only 28 or mere two per cent have so. Comparably, data with the Union Government shows Uttar Pradesh has at least four beds in all of its around 3,497 PHCs. Bihar has so in over 28 per cent PHCs. Despite Government organising mass sterilisation camps in rural areas, none of the PHCs in Odisha has operation theatre compared to 40 per cent PHCs in UP and around 23 per cent in Bihar having the facility.
The scenario stands no better in Community Health Centres (CHCs) in Odisha. Only 16 per cent of around 377 CHCs have at least 30 beds each in Odisha against 72 per cent CHCs in UP having so. Bihar scores a 100 per cent rate. As many as 70 CHCs don’t have functional operation theatres in Odisha. Around 50 CHCs don’t have the facility of new born care centres and only 7 per cent CHCs have new born stabilisation units despite Odisha having high infant mortality rate in the country.
Interestingly, when a CHC must have at least four specialist doctors, in Odisha mere 12 CHCs fulfill the norm compared to all CHCs in Andhra Pradesh fulfilling it. Another letdown by the State is only 14 per cent of 1,305 PHCs have referral transport facility. In contrast, rural people admitted to around 50 per cent of PHCs in Rajasthan could avail the facility. This facility is considered game-changer in preventing loss of life in cases of child-birth complications or emergency conditions, when Odisha has high maternal mortality rate.
The detailed data with the State Health Department delivers more shockers as it shows not only patients are left high and dry; even rural health centres witness worst apathy with over 22 per cent PHCs not having any water supply and over 11 per cent having no electricity connection. Neighbouring State AP has provided the basic necessity of water and electricity to all its PHCs. Among BIMARU States, MP outperforms Odisha by providing electricity to all its PHCs.
The state of affairs of health Sub Centres (SCs), the first public-interface with State health apparatus, in Odisha stands the worst as a whopping 36 per cent neither have regular water supply nor have electricity connection. The biggest casualty is health centres (SCs and PHCs) in Odisha fail to function 24X7 thereby depriving people of seeking emergency health needs and fuelling proliferation of quacks in some areas. Even, around 3 per cent SCs and around 1 per cent PHCs is not accessible for the lack of all weather motorable approach roads.