Demand for Adequate Facilities in Goreswar Rural Hospital of Baksa, Assam

A CORRESPONDENT

GORESWAR: Strong resentment prevails among the people of Goreswar under Rangiya LAC in Baksa district due to lack of basic medical facilities. The 30-bedded Goreswar Rural Hospital at Goreswar is allegedly functioning without permanent doctor and other paramedical staff and medicines since 1990. The hospital was inaugurated on March 16, 1990 by the then State Health Minister Dr. Kamala Kalita. At present it is in a deplorable condition. Sources said that the 30-bedded rural hospital needed six doctors, 10 nurses, 20 fourth grade staff, two pharmacists and an ambulance.

On the contrary, there are only three nurses, one doctor, four fourth grade staff and 10 beds are available in the hospital. The hospital is running without night chowkidar and sweeper. The single doctor attends duty for only few hours in the morning. Patients throng the hospital in the morning from nearby villages. Many patients have to go back without treatment due to lack of doctors. The entire campus of hospital remains deserted from the afternoon till the next morning.

Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had assured the public of Goreswar to provide adequate facilities in the hospital when he had come to Goreswar seeking votes during election time. But the people have not received the promised medical facilities till date. This has caused much resentment among them. The ABSU, AKRSU and Goriya- Moriya Desiya Janagushti Parishad jointly sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the Goreswar circle officer Alokananada Medhi on August 4 demanding adequate facilities at the 30-bedded Goreswar Hospital. The Koch-Rajbongshi Yuba- Chatra Sanmilon staged a two-hour sit-in on August 6 at the premises of the hospital. They demanded that doctors should be available in the hospital for 24 hours to attend to patients.