By Shyam Waikhom
IMPHAL, January 10: Residents of Saranamai circle under Paomata Block of Tadubi Sub-Division are facing difficulties in getting access to proper health care services as the Primary Health Centre there is too far away and has a limited stock of medicines. They are demanding that a PHC should be opened in Khaikho village which can be easily accessed by people from all the surrounding villages.
The PHC at Paomata is the first port of call for the locals of Saranamai village, Siimai Khaikho village, Maiba village, Phuba village and Liyai village whenever anybody from these villages feels sick. Even if it has been upgraded to a Community Health Centre (CHC), people still have to face problems due to lack of medicines and medical staff.
It was upgraded to a CHC by the efforts of ADC members who are making contributions in the building construction. Another alternative Health Centre is located at the Tungjoi village. As per official records, the Tadubi sub-division has four Health Centres with the PHC at Paomata being among the four. Paomata block is located around 99 km away from Imphal and is about 53 Km away from the Senapati district headquarters. Saranamai is about 14 Km away from the Tadubi sub-division whereas Khaikho is about 17 km away.
`Whenever anybody needs medical treatment, he has to travel 7 Kms to reach the PHC which lacks medical facility and doctors. If the situation of the patient is serious, a proper medical treatment can be availed only at the Senapati District Hospital. But in worst case scenarios, patients have to go all the way to Imphal for a proper treatment. They have to spend lots of money, sometimes even selling off their property as most of the people at the circle are farmers. Sometimes due to a lack of immediate attention at the PHC, people die on their way to a better medical facility`, said V Kho, chairman of Khaikho village at the Sanaramai circle.
He further said it is during the rainy seasons that people suffer the most as pregnant women have to be carried in improvised Sagais till Paomata PHC by foot on the muddy road. The deplorable condition of the road makes it impossible for vehicles to travel during the rainy season, he added.
The dispensary at Tungjoy is ill equipped to provide treatment to victims of even small accidents. Recently, those who got injured in a truck accident succumbed on their way to the district hospital because proper medication couldn`™t be provided in the PHC and other health centres, he narrated.
People settled in the Saranamai circle have drawn the attention of the State health director to establish an additional Health Centre at Khaikho with sufficient medicines and where the doctors are available round the clock.