Bhattu Kalan’s CHC gets X-ray machine, no staff to operate it

After nearly two decades of waiting, the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Bhattu Kalan, Fatehabad, has finally received an X-ray machine. However, residents fear the much-awaited equipment may again remain unused as no operator has been appointed to run it.

The machine, transferred from Fatehabad Civil Hospital ahead of the October 10 inauguration of a new digital X-ray unit there, is an older model. No technical staff or operational training were provided along with the transfer. Villagers now apprehend it may meet the same fate as a previous machine, which had remained idle for years due to a lack of trained personnel.

Local residents have expressed their frustration. “We don’t need just machines; we need staff to operate them. Every time a facility is announced, it ends up existing only on paper,” said Ram Partap Singh, an elderly villager. Others echoed his view, alleging that rural healthcare is often neglected while urban areas receive modern services.

Health experts, too, pointed out that merely installing equipment is not enough. “A machine needs trained staff, regular maintenance and proper usage; otherwise, it is nothing more than a showpiece,” said one expert. Without an operator in place, residents fear the newly installed machine may once again gather dust in a locked room.

Local leaders have pledged to escalate the issue. They plan to petition Haryana Health Minister Aarti Rao to ensure the deployment of a trained X-ray technician and the installation of a new, functional machine at the CHC. “We are tired of symbolic facilities. Health services in villages should not be treated like a joke,” said Raj Kumar, a community leader.

He added that public demands included immediate appointment of a qualified operator, a technical inspection of the machine, and renewed focus on rural healthcare infrastructure in Bhattu Kalan and nearby areas.

Dr Surender Vishu, Senior Medical Officer at Bhattu Kalan CHC, confirmed that a request for an operator had already been sent to the department. “Once an operator is appointed, the machine will be made operational. It will be a big relief for local residents,” he said.