Panchayat members hold protest, lock PHC

Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, June 18: Village Sarpanch and other Panchayat members along with local public held protest demonstration today against the Health Department and put a lock on the Primary Health Centre, Mankote as no staff was available to attend emergency case in hospital last night while BMO placed under suspension an employee and imposed fine on the other staff members including two doctors.
Reports said Sarpanch Abdul Majid, Naib Sarpanch Mohd Sharief and other Panchayat members besides local people from Mankote and adjoining areas, assembled at the Primary Health Centre, Mankote at around 9 am today and put a lock on it. They started protest demonstration and raised slogans against District and State Health authorities.
The village Panchayat members resorted to lodge protest as nobody was available in the hospital during last night when the locals brought an emergency case (a lady patient) to Mankote hospital at around 11 pm. They found village hospital locked and got agitated. The family members then contacted Sarpanch who also came and found that no staff member was there to attend the patient in PHC. He contacted Block Medical Officer, Mendhar Dr Mumtaz Bhati on telephone and narrated him the situation of the Health Centre. Mr Bhatti assured to take action in this regard in the morning and asked to shift the patient to Mendhar hospital.
Irked over the response and casual approach of the Medical staff towards their duty, the village Panchayat members went on protest in the morning. Later, at round 10.30 am, the BMO reached Mankote PHC. He took the duty roaster and placed under suspension staff nurse Nusrat Rani as she was supposed to be on duty during the night. He also fined Rs 500 each to Dr Rajeev (ISM) Medical officer, Dr Haq Nawaz, Sayeda Begum staff nurse, Banwari Lal, Nursing Orderly and Safaiwalla Mehmood Ahmed. The people said that only a driver of the ambulance Mr Meer is usually available during the odd hours at PHC and nobody stays during night hours.
Later, with the intervention of BMO the people allowed to open the PHC. Mr Bhatti assured that night staff will be available in the PHC in future and village Panchayat members should ensure their presence and can report to him if the person on duty is found absent.

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