KOZHIKODE: The promise of starting the in-patient facility at Koorachundu community health centre (CHC) seems to be a hollow one with no measures taken even after five months when the region was under the grip of dengue. Dengue claimed six lives in Koorachundu and it was only then that authorities thronged the rural hinterland to directly experience that the CHC was plagued by several shortages. Scores of people from Koorachundu, Chakk-ittapara, Peruvannamuzhi and Kottoor gram panchayats depend on the CHC which has about 180 patients daily visiting the outpatient wing.
Though a building to start the inpatient facility is available, creation of posts is the bottleneck. “We have a building that has been constructed using the block panchayat funds meant for patient observation. To start the inpatient facility, four physicians, four nurses and two pharmacists is needed. At present, there are three posts of doctors and one post of staff nurse and pharmacist,” says Koorachundu Medical Officer, Dr Divya K.S.
A nurse has been deputed under daily-wages. Of the three doctors, one is on leave and another has temporarily shifted to another hospital thus reducing the CHC to a single doctor who has to cater to 180 patients. “Facility-wise it is not a CHC, but a primary health centre (PHC) only with three doctor postings,” says a health staffer. Koorachundu gram panchayat president Vincy Thomas said that all efforts were made to materialize the creation of posts.
“Memorandums were given to the health minister, DHS, district collector and other higher-ups to create new posts considering the soaring number of patients. But nothing has borne fruit,” she laments. The plight of dengue patients had triggered noble minds to sponsor two wards to start the inpatient facility. But the government has not responded. The doctor’s quarters too is incomplete with electrification and plumbing works yet to be done.
