Residents of Korgao have raised serious concerns over the continued unavailability of doctors at the local health sub-centre, forcing people to travel to Tuem hospital even for routine medical treatment.
Locals pointed out that although the sub-centre has been renamed as an Ayushman Arogya Mandir, essential services remain inadequate. The Community Health Officer, who is expected to be available daily, has not been appointed, while the visiting doctor who earlier attended patients every Tuesday afternoon has been absent for the last four consecutive weeks.
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According to residents, the doctor previously visited the centre every Tuesday around 2 pm for patient consultations. However, for the past month, no such visits have taken place. Currently, only two Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and a servant are present at the sub-centre in the afternoons. In the mornings, the staff are often away on field duties such as vaccination drives and inspections at hotels, leaving the centre largely non-functional for patients.
As a result, people from Korgao are compelled to travel to Tuem hospital even for basic treatment, causing inconvenience, especially for the elderly and those with limited mobility.
Locals have demanded that the Korgao sub-centre be upgraded to a Rural Medical Centre (RMC), which would ensure the presence of a daily doctor and availability of medicines. They questioned why villages like Palyem and Keri, with a combined population of around 4,000, have daily doctors, and why Arambol, with a population of about 5,000, has an RMC, while Korgao, with a population of nearly 12,000, continues to be deprived of basic healthcare facilities.
Residents also highlighted that the approach road to the sub-centre is in poor condition, further adding to the difficulties faced by patients.
Local resident and patient Arvind Payaji, along with local citizen Naresh Kambli, voiced these concerns, urging the health authorities and the government to take immediate steps to improve healthcare services at the Korgao sub-centre.
