Sustaining infrastructural losses in the recently experienced natural calamities that wrecked havoc in entire Uttarakhand has increased the worries of the State health department as it cannot be ruled out that the medicos will abstain to join in the mountainous parts of the Uttarakhand.
Department sources revealed that special focus would be laid down by the department for ensuring the appointment of medical officers in the fringe and hilly parts of the State. Sources said that the department has sustained infrastructural losses in 11 districts (expect Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar) amounting to about Rs 1,099.82 lakhs which is a result of complete or partial damage to various levels of facilities including State Allopathic Dispensaries, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, Chief Medical Officer office etc. besides, residential complex of the medical officers are also reported to be damaged. Among the worst affected areas are Rudraprayag district.
Sources confirmed that the State Allopathic Dispensary (SAD) at Kedarnath and temporary health post at Rambada are reported to be completely damaged in the natural disaster and the health centres at Gaurikund developed crack. In this stretch, the department borne the loss of around Rs 2.5 crore, as residential and non-residential complexes was reported to be severally damaged. The residential complex and Chief Medical Officer office in Pauri also got severally damaged in the natural disaster.
Primary Health Centre Narayanbagad was partially damaged whereas PHC Moori was completely damaged in the Uttarkashi district.Additionally, Community Health Centre (CHC) Purola is partially damaged and the worst part is that the approaching road to the CHC is completely washed away and sub centre Bhatwadi is partially damaged. The sub-centre at Dumlakot was completely damaged.
The SAD at laxmanjhulla was completely damaged and the department has borne the loss of around Rs 30 lakh and Tharsain is also reported to be partially damaged.The CMO office at Almora is also reported to be partially damaged in natural disaster besides, APHC, Bhanoli and CHC Kanda also damaged. Additionally, the retaining wall of the CHC, Vikasnagar, Dehradun district was also reported to be damaged.
One of the department sources who wished anonymity told The Pioneer that department has been working intensively for improving the medical and health facilities in the remote parts of Uttarakhand. He told that the department has also decided to hold surgery camps in the mountainous parts of the State for providing best and advance medical and health facilities to all those villagers who are living in remote parts of the State.