Thousands deprived of healthcare for months
A health sub-centre at Poikkha-Nomorhut in Gachhua union of Muladi upazila has remained closed for nearly six months as no doctor and health service providers were there.
Due to this, around 20,000 people in the union are being deprived of healthcare. Finding no alternative, they are being compelled to go to the upazila health complex, about nine km off the area, for getting treatment.
Abul Hossain, a resident of the area, said as there were no employees, the rooms of the two-storied health centre were locked for months.
Due to remoteness of the area and lack of smooth communication facilities, doctors and health service providers do not want to stay at the health centre for long time, said Dr Saidur Rahman, upazila health and family planning officer.
Housewife Sabiha Kumu said when their children got sick, they fell in great trouble due to absence of doctor at the health centre.
Two years ago, the health center started off with a doctor, a health assistant, an office assistant and a sweeper. After some days, most of the staffers took transfer to other places due to remoteness of the area.
In absence of the physician, Health Assistant Shawkat Hossain Hiru came to the health centre twice or thrice a week. He continued distributing some medicines to the patients or advising them to visit the upazila health complex or the district headquarters till his retirement on February 20 this year.
Local resident Abdul Hakim said after Hiru’s retirement, the health centre remained closed and since then they have to visit the upazila health complex, about nine km off the area, for treatment.
The health and family planning officer said Sajjad Hossain, heath assistant of nearby Alimabad health sub-centre, was asked to perform his duty at Poikkha-Nomorhut health sub-centre thrice a week till April.
Sajjad said he could not go to the health centre due to remoteness of the area.
Barishal Civil Surgeon Dr Manowar Hossain said they are yet to manage any doctor to run this health centre.
To run the health centre, he advised the health wand family planning officer to come in once a week, said the civil surgeon.
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