PUYA finds more healthcare centres in disarray

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 13 : The People's United Youth Alliance (PUYA) found more healthcare centres in complete disarray during inspections in Bishnupur district today.
Today, PUYA members inspected the Moirang Community Health Centre (CHC), the Thanga Primary Health Centre (PHC) and the Karang Primary Health Centre (PHC).
At the Moirang CHC, PUYA spokesperson Nikarson said, PUYA members found all the signatures of doctors and nurses on the attendance sheets in the same handwriting, apparently revealing that a single person has been signing the register for all.
Some doctors and Nurses were also found having signed the attendance sheet upto February 30, a date which doesn't exist, Nikarson said.
At Thanga PHC, PUYA members found some Nurses and other staff engaging substitutes. The centre was found struggling without any ambulances available, he said.
At Karang PHC, Nikarson said the PUYA members found not a single staff member.
The PHC has one doctor (contract), one Staff Nurse and one Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM). However, there was no proper attendance register, he said.
During the inspection, Nikarson said the locals even claimed that the nurses were sometimes engaging substitutes.
Sometimes the doctor and nurses attend 3 days a week and sometimes they don't, according to the locals, Nikarson said.
The PUYA members also found a new block under construction lacking quality. Construction materials including bags of cement were also found stored inside the main entrance room, he said.
Meanwhile, Karang Island Development Organisation (KIDO) general secretary Soibam Kanta said the locals of the island are facing immense difficulties in accessing medical care during emergencies.
During emergencies, people of the island have been forced to evacuate ailing persons on boats. Some have died before reaching hospital, and some expecting mothers have given birth while being evacuated to hospital on boats, Kanta said.
While the construction of the PHC's staff quarters was completed in 2020, due to alleged unpaid bills of the contractors concerned, it has not been inaugurated yet and put to use, Kanta said.
Considering the difficulties locals are facing, the Government and Health authorities should take up immediate steps to improve the PHC. Enhancing infrastructure and sending a team of dedicated staff could benefit the locals, Kanta said.