Primary health Centre lying defunct for the last 20 years in Mizoram

Mizoram Chakma Development Forum

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Contact No. +918375924990 New Delhi,2 August 2012

Press Release

Primary health Centre lying defunct for the last 20 years in Mizoram-

MCDF seeks Mizoram Health Minister’s intervention

New Delhi: Yesterday the Mizoram Chakma Development Forum (MCDF) sought the immediate intervention of Lalrinliana Sailo, Mizoram’s Health Minister to make a rural primary health centre (PHC) at Borapansury, CADC in Lawngtlai district functional.

The Borapansury PHC has been lying defunct for the last 20 years. The first PHC building was built 20 years ago but it was never made functional. It dilapidated and a new building was built in 2010 with staff quarters but as of date it is yet to start functioning.

 

“There is no doctor, no nurse, no staff, and no medicine. It is an empty building standing as a PHC (on official record) much to the chagrin of the local population,” stated MCDF petition which was sent to the Minister by fax.

“The neglect of the administration and the Health Department in particular towards the PHC at Borapansury is palpable. Due to lack of basic life saving drugs and healthcare staff at the PHC, many people, mostly children, women, aged persons and the poorest, die in this area of CADC each year. If functional with doctors, staff and medicines, the Borapansury PHC can cater to neighbourhood 17 villages having a combined population of more than 12,000 tribal people.”

MCDF demanded that the Health Minister take all necessary measures to immediately make the Boraponsury PHC fully functional; appoint at least two permanent MBBS doctors, nurses, staff, etc and provide life saving medicines; and make an announcement over the radio, TV and press about the operationalization of the Borapansury PHC so that the general public of the remote area can come to avail the healthcare facilities.

Background:

Borapansury is a border village, situated on the India-Bangladesh international border, within the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in Lawngtlai district of Mizoram.

The Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Borapansury is the only PHC in the entire CADC. There is one Community Health Centre at headquarter Kamala Nagar apart from several health sub centres at different villages.

The Borapansury PHC has been lying non-functional for the last 20 years. As both the Mizoram government and the CADC government failed to make the PHC functional, on 26 July 2012 Mizoram Chakma Development Forum (MCDF) decided to launch a mass campaign involving the local people of CADC.

As part of the campaign, on 27 July, MCDF started an online petition

(http://www.change.org/en-IN/petitions/health-minister-mizoram-appoint-doctors-and-staff-at-borapunsary-phc) which has so far received 244 signatures from India and across the world.

On 28 July, MCDF submitted a petition to the President of India’s Secretariat which registered the petition as PRSEC/E/2012/10311. On 1 August 2012, the President’s Secretariat transferred the petition to Mizoram Chief Secretary, Vanhela Pachuau, IAS, to take cognizance of it. (Annexed)

Annexures:

1.      MCDF’s petition to Mizoram health Minister dt 1 August 2012

2.      Photo of defunct Borapansury PHC building

3.      President’s Secretariat transferring MCDF’s petition to Mizoram Chief Secretary dt 1 August 2012

View: MCDF’s petition to Mizoram health Minister dt 1 August 2012

[pdf https://kanglaonline.in/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PetitiontoMizoramHealthMinister.docx_.pdf 600 800]

President’s Secretariat transferring MCDF’s petition to Mizoram Chief Secretary dt 1 August 2012

[pdf  https://kanglaonline.in/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/President-of-India-office-response.pdf 600 800]

* The Press Release is sent by The Chakma Voice Newsletter. Contact Info chakmavoice{at}gmail{dot}com