A team of the Poumai Naga frontal organizations consisting of the Poumai Naga Union (PNU), Poumai Students Union (PNTM) and the Poumai Naga Women’s Union (PNNM) along with Poumai Naga Covid Task Force which was recently formed to oversee the entire Covid crisis faced by the Poumai community and to extend support to the District Administration and the medical fraternity, visited the Primary Health Centres of Oinam, Phaibung and Paomata.
The team also met with the MO in charge of PHC; Laii which is operated in collaboration with an NGO.
However, the team could not visit PHC, Khongdei as the health institution is under construction and moreover, the villagers had restricted entry to the village due to the pandemic.
On visiting PHC Oinam Hill, the doctors informed the team about the lack of manpower for effective functioning of the health institution with only 3 MOs, 3 nurses, 2 pharmacists and 1 male health worker.
The nurses were also taking up the assignment of a grade IV and lab technician due to the lack of manpower.
Youth volunteers and ASHA workers were reportedly assisting the PHC.
The PHC is stated to cover 32 villages with more than 33,000 population and 7 Sub centres covering the whole of Lepaona areas.
Some Sub centres were also reported to be functioning without nurses.
Only 3 beds for patients were found in the PHC with 1 occupied at the PHC.
No furniture including beds for staff in their quarter, no chair, no table were found in the PHC.
It was also reported that no funds for administrative, stationaries, medicines, etc were received by the PHC for quite a long time.
The visiting CSOs urged the Government to upgrade the PHC to CHC in view of the huge coverage of population.
On reaching PHC Phaibung, the team found 5 beds for patients but without any furniture.
The PHC Phaibung was stated to cover 7 villages of the area with around 17,000 population.
No ambulance was allotted to the PHC for emergencies.
The MO in charge informed that no other facility is available in the PHC other than first aid.
Addressing media persons, D Dailord Pao, president PNU stated that the PHC is similar to a haunted place with no infrastructure and manpower.
He appealed to the concerned authority to look into the matter at the earliest especially during the pandemic.
D Dailord Pao on behalf of the team also extended his appreciation to the doctors and health workers of the PHCs for their dedication and commitment towards the welfare of the people.
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)