Doraha awaits opening of health centre

The 40-year-old problem of poor medical facilities in Doraha town and surrounding areas has not been resolved.

To add to residents’ misery, the present government has even failed to inaugurate the Community Health Centre (CHC) built here three years ago. Unfortunately, the building now no longer bears a new look. The government, meanwhile, seems to be in no urgency to resolve this acute and pressing problem which has taken a heavy toll on the town as well as surrounding areas.

Fed up by the alleged indifferent attitude of the government, the town people sat on a three-day hunger strike but nothing substantial came out of it. The protesters were silenced by shifting two doctors from the Civil Dispensary to Civil Hospital, which was in no way any addition to what already existed.

The Civil Dispensary of Doraha has failed to cater to the needs of 40,000 residents in addition to the ones coming from surrounding villages.

The Congress government began constructing the building, but left it incomplete. It was completed by the AAP, which seems to be in no hurry to open it to the general public even after three years.

“A lot of accidents take place near Doraha, especially on the National Highway and a number of lives are lost due to the lack of first aid and absence of any trauma centre,” the residents rue. “Victims of major to minor mishaps on National highway have to suffer for want of treatment as there is practically no source of immediate aid in the town. Reaching Khanna, Payal or Sahnewal for immediate admission is next to impossible for the injured as a result of which a number of them are declared brought dead by the hospitals. Private hospitals in Doraha are generally reluctant to admit accident victims,” they complain.

Jandeep Kaushal, a social worker of the town said, “There are practically no medical facilities available in the town. The needy are generally left without medication as they cannot think in terms of visiting private doctors and paying huge fees to them. No government has ever been serious about providing medical facilities. There has been simply no positive outcome of seeking the attention of the local MLA towards the issue as nothing is going to come out of nothing.”

“Though the government boasts of providing best health facilities to the public, in our case it has completely failed. It is not a one-time problem; we have been facing it for years together. Poor die for want of treatment since they are in no position to approach a private doctor. The demand has been raised several times but no government has actually come to our rescue,” added Barjinder Jandu, a resident of Doraha.

“Private doctors are beyond our reach and the medical facilities provided by the government are in no way up to the mark. We are literally dying due to good medical facilities, but nothing substantial has ever come out. We are exhausted by praying before the so-called high-ups. We were elated to see the new building of the community centre, but our joy seemed to be short-lived as nobody bothered to initiate its functioning. Now we have almost given up hope,” said a daily wager.

“It is ironic that while on one hand, qualified doctors are sitting idle, on the other hand, the newly built CHC is awaiting medicos. When the government was incapable of arranging infrastructure and staff, why was the CHC built after all? Why is the public made to suffer every time? How many have lost their lives and how many more are in line? Why should the government be bothered after all? rued a resident sarcastically.

MLA Payal Manwinder Singh Giaspura was not available for comments. SMO Payal Dr Harwinder Singh said Director, Procurement, Punjab, had asked them to shift the infrastructure lying unused in civil hospitals of Ludhiana and Malerkotla to the CHC Doraha after which manpower shall be provided and CHC shall be made functional. For manpower, we have written to the Director, Health, and we are sure the help would arrive soon,” the SMO added.