By Express News Service

KENDRAPARA: EVEN as the State Government claims to have posted adequate number of doctors in its hospitals, the state of health care in rural areas of Odisha remains a matter of concern.

As many as 24 primary health centres (PHCs) in the district are functioning without doctors. Two PHCs in Rajkanika, four in Derabishi, seven in Mahakalapada, two in Marsaghai, three in Rajnagar, two in Aul, as many in Garadapur and Pattamundai do not have any doctors.

Former sarpanch of Kharinashi panchayat Ilarani Sardar said people in villages have learnt to live amid deficiencies. “Babies are born before pregnant women can reach hospitals and critically-ill or injured die on the way to health care centres. People have learnt to live with such incidents,” Sardar said.

Meanwhile, in the absence of doctors, quacks are having a field day in villages. Sources said at least 100 quacks have taken up allopathic treatment in numerous villages across the district. General secretary of district citizen forum Biswanath Behera said the district witnesses a rise in number of people affected by waterborne disease during monsoon. Shortage of doctors at the health care centres has only made matters worse, he said.

In villages within Bhitarkanika National Park, people risk their lives for availing health care. Since the primary health centres at Dangamala, Talachua and Iswarpur have no doctors for the last two years, residents of these villages visit hospitals in nearby Bhadrak district and in order to do so, they need to cross the crocodile-infested water bodies within the park.

Senior Congress leader Ganeswar Behera said the Health department must wake up from its slumber to fill up vacant posts of doctors in the district as soon as possible.

The district has nine community health Centres and 46 PHCs. Additional district medical officer Dr MB Baig said paramedical staff are providing health services in PHCs where doctors have not been posted. “We have been sending requisition for posting of doctors and paramedical staff to the higher authorities every month. We hope the Government will appoint more doctors in the district soon,” he said.