The residents of greater Badarpur area in Assam’s Karimganj district started an indefinite strike on Thursday demanding more doctors in Badarpur Sub-Health Centre (SHC).
The protesting residents alleged that the lone government hospital in the area has been ‘practically’ running without a doctor for the last several days.
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The residents staged protest in Badarpur SHC, 30 km from Karimganj town, where Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will lay the foundation stone for a new building of the civil hospital on September 23.
Syed Habibur Rehman, the Gaon Panchayat president of Bundashil, who also joined the protest, told Northeast Now, said, “This hospital directly or indirectly caters to over 50,000 residents of greater Badarpur area.”
“But, due to lack of doctors in the hospital, we feel that we are living in a hell,” he added.
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Rehman also said, “Till date, the hospital has only a female doctor, Dr Madhuparna Roy. The doctor, who was on medical leave, has forcibly been brought back to join duty.”
Informing that Dr Roy is suffering from gall bladder stone, Rehamn said, “She will go on casual leave soon to create more vacuum and it will add to our problems.”
He added, “This hospital needs four doctors to cater to a huge population here, day and night. But absence of doctors has worsened our woes.”
Another protestor, Abdul Kalam told Northeast Now, “Last week upon our protest, Dr Madhuparna Roy took care of nearly 50 patients in one hour and left the place. This shows the number of footfall of patients in this hospital.”
Kalam informd that they have submitted memorandums to the Circle Officer and the Joint Director of Health Services of Karimganj district to look into the issues.
“If steps are not taken at the earliest, we will take up the matter at the Chief Minister’s Office too in the days to come,” he added.