In Many villages of Bailhongal district, there are no doctors in the PHCs. People have to travel several miles to get treatment.
Villages of Bailhongal taluk are still struggling to get better treatment facilities. PHCs in the villages do not have doctors and maintenance. The villagers have to travel to other places to get treatment.
Abdul Majid, a resident said, “The doctor comes once or twice in 8-10 days. There are no proper facilities in the PHC in the village. We have to travel to town hospitals for treatment. In case of emergency, there is no direct transport as well. We have to call the bus driver to come. It takes him 1 or 2 hours to come sometimes.”
As per the guidelines of the Indian Public Health Standards, every PHC should have a staff of 14 members including paramedical and one medical officer but the PHCs in the rural areas do not have proper infrastructure, there is no equipment as well. In case of emergency, there is no facility.
D.A. Balasundara, Health Officer said, “There will be one doctor for 10 villages, who is responsible to maintain all the PHCs, due to lack of doctors urban area doctors are not ready to go and work in rural areas. The government has to take some steps to appoint doctors in rural areas in large numbers for at least a certain period of time.”
There are 138 existing PHCs in Belgaum district as per the data of Health and Family Welfare Secretariat, Government of Karnataka whereas only 121 are required in the district.
Dr. G. Raju, Medical Professor, MBBS, MS said, “Lack of doctors in PHCs is because of no infrastructure, facilities and low maintenance provided to doctors in rural areas. If govt. provides some facilities for transportation or for living there, many doctors may turn up to work in rural areas.”
Instead of 17 extra PHCs in the district, people are unable to get proper treatment due to low maintenance and poor facilities.
