“Even for post-mortems in case of an accident, sudden death, or poisoning, we are directed to Hatnoor PHC. During Covid, our village and some neighbouring villages were excluded from screening because doctors at the rural hospital were occupied with treatment, and since Hatnoor PHC was distant, no one extended their services to us,” mentioned Suresh Madhavrao Bodkhe, the previous sarpanch of Debhegaon.

In 2008, the zilla parishad moved their nearest PHC from Deogaon Rangari to Chapaner village below Hatnoor administration when it was determined to assemble the agricultural hospital. “Government rules mandate that when a village receives a rural hospital, the existing PHC is moved to the nearest village. However, in our case, political influence led to the PHC being relocated to distant Chapaner village, leaving us in a helpless situation,” mentioned Suresh.

The villagers, headed by Suresh, sat on a starvation strike, however in useless.

This is when Dr Surase, who was paying a go to to his village, was left astonished. As the primary physician from his village, he may clearly see the profound impression the PHC had on the well-being of residents.

“When someone develops a cough or cold, they typically visit a general physician at the local PHC. Only in severe cases do they turn to specialists at rural hospitals. However, the villagers are often redirected to Hatnoor PHC even when they initially seek care at the rural hospital, which is already understaffed. As a result, villagers have become reluctant to consult a doctor and often resort to alternative medicines, risking their lives,” mentioned Dr Surase. Also, many method personal healthcare suppliers, typically at a considerable price.

“ASHA workers affiliated with neighbouring PHCs regularly perform check-ups for newborn babies and expectant or new mothers. However, in my village, there is no longer any follow-up or community work taking place following the relocation of the PHC. This scarcity has resulted in significant delays in identifying health complications,” he mentioned.

As a part of his effort to deal with the issue and meet authorities officers in Debhegaon, he made frequent 300-km journeys from Thane, the place he just lately relocated from Mumbai’s Asian Heart Institute to Jupiter Hospital. He additionally wrote a number of letters to stakeholders, however when nothing helped, he knocked on the doorways of the Bombay High Court in Aurangabad in 2008. The writ petition wasn’t tabled for 10 years, till 2018, when the courtroom instructed the zilla parishad to look into the matter and supply ample well being amenities to villagers.

“I continued my visits to government officials, ministers, and politicians. They all assured me of granting approval, but the implementation was slow. I believe I approached four Chief Ministers of Maharashtra to secure their approval,” he recalled.

Finally, in 2023, Vikas Shankar Kharage, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, granted his approval. Subsequently, with the help of the Guardian Minister of Aurangabad, Sandipanrao Bhumre, Dr Surase managed to satisfy the present Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, who offered particular approval. In the primary week of October, a authorities decision was handed.

“Interestingly, just a day before the final budget approval for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (comprising Maharashtra’s Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities), a specific budget allocation was made to fund the construction of the PHC in Debhegaon,” Dr Surase mentioned.

His unwavering dedication has not solely impressed, however shocked many. Speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Abhay Dhanorkar, the district well being officer, emphasised how the just lately sanctioned PHC will carry vital advantages to roughly 18 further villages. “I am well aware of Dr Surase’s persistence. Debhegaon is centrally located within the region. The new PHC will serve the needs of approximately 35,000 villagers who currently have to travel 20-30 km to access basic healthcare services at the nearest PHCs,” he mentioned.