SANGUEM: Residents of Kalay village are facing significant challenges with the sub-health centre in their locality and are now demanding its upgrade to a Rural Medical Dispensary for better healthcare services.
Kalay, situated about 12 kilometres away from Sanguem Primary Health Centre (PHC) and 18 kilometres from the Curchorem Upgraded Health Centre, relies on the sub-health centre as its primary medical facility.
In 2021, former Sarpanch Kishore Rama Gauns Dessai initiated the process of establishing a Rural Medical Dispensary in the village, and a suitable building was identified for this purpose. “The building named Rural Medical Dispensary was even inaugurated in April 2021,” said Gauns Dessai, adding that the required infrastructure was also provided at the building. However, the promised upgrade never materialised,and it continued to function as a sub-health centre, with a doctor visiting it only once a week and a nurse along with an attendant attend to the patients on other days. Although a full-time doctor was deputed to the village in May 2021, this arrangement changed after the elections, and the building continued its operations as a sub-health centre, despite an investment of Rs 35 lakh to prepare it for the upgrade.
Advocate Amar Naik, a local resident, emphasised the critical need for upgrading the sub-health centre given the remote location of the village and the economic conditions of the people.
The absence of private clinics in the village means residents must travel to Sanguem or Curchorem for medical emergencies or even minor ailments, as the doctor only visits the village once a week.
Residents expressed dissatisfaction with the use of public funds to spruce up the building without the promised upgrade. The sub-health centre’s limited operation hours create challenges for patients, especially senior citizens, who often wait until the doctor’s weekly visit to address their health issues.
