Doda health sub-centre lying defunct for months

Ranjit Thakur

Doda, September 12

Irked over the dysfunctional Government Health Sub-Centre, residents of Shaya village in Doda district have been facing a lot of hardships.

Situated around 30 km from the district headquarters, the villagers expressed serious concern over the poor medical and health facilities as the only health sub-centre in the area has been locked for the past several months. Due to this, the expectant mothers, elderly and ailing patients are forced to travel miles to get even the basic medical facilities.

“We are left with no option but to travel to the Doda District Hospital, which is about 30 km away from the village. If the transportation facility is available, it takes two hours to reach the hospital,” said Subash Chander, a local.

“The sub-centre mostly remains locked and the staff members visit there for immunisation only once in a few months. For even headache or fever, we have to travel all the way to the district hospital, which is injustice to the poor people,” he added.

“Except the presence of a building, the sub-centre is of no use to us. We want the Governor should intervene into the matter and take stringent action against the erring staff members, who are getting handsome salaries without even performing their duties,” said Bal Krishan, another local.

Doda Chief Medical Officer Dr Mushtaq said, “The health sub-centre has no doctor. It just has two staff members. I have initiated an inquiry against the authorities.”

The tall claims of the state government to provide better healthcare facilities to the rural population have been exposed in Doda, where most of the dispensaries are lying defunct.