Demand To Upgrade Primary Health Care (PHC) To Civil Hospital

Special Correspondent

Silchar: The demand for upgrade of Lakhipur primary health centre to civil hospital has been raised by people from time to time before the authorities concerned, but of no avail. A memorandum to the effect was also submitted to Piyush Hazarika, Minister of Health and Family Planning for consideration. Logically facts have been analysed, justifying the upgade. Lakhipur sub division was created in 1992. It has certain basic facilities which include four development blocks and four integrated child development services.

Lying on the border with East Manipur and Dima Hasao district in the north, it has a population of around 3.14 lakh. The sub division has been maintaining a unique unity in diversity and can well be called a multilingual, multireligious and multiethnic entity. It is a homogenous population of Hmar, Reang, Mizo, Dimasa, Rajbongshi, Haokip, Khasi, Kuki, Rongmei, Manipuri, Bengali and tea tribes. The sub division has its own administrative and judicial wings.

Moreover, the sub division is known for lush green tea estates with 25 divisions. Hmakhawlien, the second largest Hmar village in Assam, is famous for pineapple production. Lakhipur town committee created in 1960 today got the status of urban local body. The sub division is well connected with NH 53, BG link, airport and water ways.

There is yet another justification for a civil hospital. The existing health infrastructure comprises seven block level primary health centres at Lakhipur, Chhotomanda, Jirighat, Banskandi, Fulertal, Harinagar and Joypur. All of them combined together are 30 bedded with limited human resource which can hardly meet the growing medical needs of people who are mostly from economically weak background.

Lakhipur BPHC with 10 bed treats 3714 patients in OPD each month on an average, 164 in IPD, 50 delivery cases and 3580 undergo pathological tests. The Lakhipur health centre is running with 10 medical and para medical staff only. Considering the varied demography and difficult terrain, high percentage of under privileged people, long distance to Silchar civil hospital and medical college and hospital as well as inadequate infrastructure and man power at health centres in Lakhipur sub division, Health and Family Welfare Department, Silchar, on behalf of the people of area, has handed over the memorandum to Piyush Hazarika.

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