PARADIP: Scores of women under the banner of Utkal Mahila Samiti on Tuesday staged a dharna in front of Kujang Community Health Centre (CHC) protesting the deterioration of health services due to a shortage of doctors and lack of infrastructure.
One of the oldest health care facilities of the State, the Kujang CHC was established in 1893. Residents of Paradip, Kujang and Erasama in Jagatsinghpur district and Mahakalapada and Marsaghai in Kendrapara district depend on it for their health care needs. However, owing to shortage of doctors at the facility, the patients are forced to visit private nursing homes and hospitals in Cuttack.
Of the sanctioned five posts of specialists, three in paediatrics, gynaecology and medicine are lying vacant at the facility. Frequent agitations and reminders to fill up the posts have not yielded result. The CHC is also hit by lack of infrastructure. The X-ray machine at the facility, which was installed five years back by IOCL, is lying idle due to the absence of radiologist. An ambulance, donated by a former MP to the CHC, too is not in a running condition.
The agitators sought fulfilment of their six-point charter of demands, including filling up of the posts of paediatrician and gynaecologist, medicines under Niramaya scheme, medicines for snake and dog bite.
They urged the Collector and the Chief District Medical Officer to resolve the issues. They threatened to intensify their agitation if their demands are not met.