PALAKKAD: “We need facilities at the Kottathara tribal speciality hospital,” says Selvi, mother of Geethu, the tribal woman who was referred to the Mannarkad taluk hospital. Geethu’s child died on the third day, on Friday.
“The doctors refer us to the Perinthalmanna hospital, Thrissur medical college hospital and the Palakkad district hospital. My daughter did not receive assistance under the Janani Janmaraksha Scheme implemented by the tribal development department, which amounts to Rs 2,000 per month,” Selvi adds.
Rajendran and Geethu had arrived at the Kottathara tribal speciality hospital a month before her expected delivery date, which was Saturday. “Scanning revealed that she was suffering from intraventricular bleeding, and therefore, she was referred to the Thrissur medical college hospital. But they did not go to Thrissur,” says Dr R Prabhudas, superintendent of the Kottathara hospital.
That reflects the mindset of the tribal people who loathe going out of their place for treatment even when advised by the doctors. “There was a tie-up between the Kottathara hospital and the EMS Co-operative Hospital in Perinthalmanna, which ended on June 30, 2020. A sum of `12.5 crore was provided from the cooperative department fund to the EMS Hospital for the treatment of adivasis. This amount could have been utilised to increase the infrastructure facilities at the Kottathara hospital,” says T V Suresh, chairman of the Adivasi Action Council.
In Attappadi, apart from the Kottathara hospital, there is the community health centre in Agali, family health centres in Pudur, Agali and Sholayur, and three nutrition rehabilitation centres in those three panchayats. “But the fact is that none of these hospitals have senior doctors or specialists,” Suresh points out.
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There are 68 junior public health nurses employed by the National Health Mission in the whole of Attappadi. There are three NHM schemes — Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram and Sick Newborn Care Unit.