X-ray machine, beds lying unused at PHC in Jhajjar
Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, June 6
An x-ray machine, many beds and other medical equipment for the operation theatre and laboratory have been lying unused at the Public Health Centre (PHC) in Matanhail village for the past over three years. These were provided by Jhajjar Power Limited (a CLP group of company) in 2017, after constructing a double-storey building under the corporation social responsibility (CSR) for a 50-bedded hospital.Now, the PHC is being run from there.
“The foundation stone of this air-conditioned building meant for the hospital was laid by then MP Deepender Hooda and then Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal in 2014 during the Congress regime while the construction work was completed when the BJP was in power in the state. The CLP group had incurred all construction expenditure and also provided 50-beds, x-ray and ultrasound machines, equipment for the laboratory and operation theatre to run the hospital,” said Narendra Suhag, former sarpanch of the village.
Bhukkal said it was unfortunate that the government had failed to use this well-equipped building in a situation when educational institutes and dharamshalas were being turned into Covid-care centres to combat the pandemic in the absence of healthcare infrastructure.
“The building was constructed for a 50-bedded general hospital but the BJP government shifted the village PHC into it, instead of making the hospital functional. I recently raised the issue before the district-level coordination committee but all in vain. The government should approve it as a hospital,” said Congress MLA from Jhajjar, adding that the equipment will get outdated if not used soon.
Dr Sanjay Dahiya, Civil Surgeon, said a proposal to convert the PHC into a 50-bedded hospital was already pending with the government.
“There is no shortage of staff as per the requirement of a PHC. More doctors and other paramedical staffers will be deputed there as soon as the PHC is converted into a hospital. The operation theatre is being used to conduct tubectomy,” claimed Dr Dahiya, adding that x-ray machine is not in operation due to the non-availability of a radiographer.
