Badamba locals led by social activist Chinmaya Patnaik began an indefinite dharna at the local Community Health Centre (CHC) on Sunday to press for fulfilment of their demands which include posting of adequate numbers of doctors and staff nurses, cleanliness in the hospital premises and availability of generic medicines under the Niramaya scheme.
When asked, Athagarh SDMO Dr Bijaya Mishra said the demands are genuine. Only two doctors are position against sanctioned six posts and two staff nurses working against five sanctioned posts. Recently, the Cuttack CDMO visited the CHC and discussed with the locals.
He said he along with the CDMO would visit the dharna place on Monday to discuss with the agitators. Their demands would be intimated to the Government.
Agitators' leader Patnaik said while over 70,000 people of Badamba block depend on the CHC, they are not getting proper healthcare due to lack of doctors and staff nurses. Step-motherly attitude of the political leaders are responsible for the situation, he said.