Team Herald
VALPOI: Sattari locals have complained of shortage of doctors at the Valpoi Community Health Centre (CHC). The locals complain of undergoing severe hardship during their visit to the CHC for a checkup due to shortage of doctors.
The Valpoi CHC is considered as an important lifeline for Sattari taluka residents and the OPD is visited by over 300 patients daily. Though the CHC was shifted to the new complex around seven years ago, the centre boasts of important medical facilities, but it has no operation theatre, as patients are forced to travel to other hospitals for surgeries.
Sources say the operation theatre work is in progress and once completed, the facility will be made available to patients. Around 17 sub centres in the villages of Sattari taluka come under the Valpoi CHC jurisdiction. There are five medical officers who run the OPD and emergency services. Visiting doctors are present at the centre once or twice a week.
There is a demand for an ENT specialist and the patients have also sought for radiology services throughout the week. Currently, the radiologist is available only on Saturdays.
Although it was proposed as a 70-bedded hospital, there are only 30 beds. With two ambulances, residents have demanded that a cardiac ambulance be made available during emergencies.
“I am suffering from fever and cold and visited at Valpoi CHC thrice but there is no doctor available for a checkup, complained Tukaram Gaonkar, a local.
“My father was admitted in Valpoi CHC for two days, not a single doctor visited the ward for a routine check up, complained another local Prasad Naik.
