This video report is from Barabanki district, Uttar Pradesh, of a remote Government Primary Health Centre (PHC) that caters to about 30 thousand people. Community Correspondent Sunila Raaj went there to find out about their facilities and conditions of their medical services. But importantly, to find out if all the government beneficiary schemes on health and medication are reaching the beneficiaries or not.
She walked around in the centre asking the patients about this issue. Seeing one person with a fractured hand, she inquired about medicines he is getting and the regularity of doctors - the person with bandaged hands spoke highly of the doctors and available stocks of medicine.
“Most of the time we get the medicines from this health centre, rarely we need to buy from outside” - another patient echoed, her house is 10 kilometres away.
She interviewed the Resident Doctor Pramod Kumar Singh, he spoke passionately about this PHC. All the necessary machines are in their best working condition, such as X Ray Machines, Oxygen Generators etc. He mentioned that his discipline is emulated from earlier Chief Medical Officers who had made this PHC a paramount of medical excellence. Their work has inspired many doctors and imbibed in them the sense of selfless public service.
What they lack now is manpower and a little more space to accommodate more patients. The shortage of manpower in the Medical Sector is a statewide issue, he mentioned. They have requested the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) about their space constraints and man power issues. The CMO assured them of offering all the support this PHC needs, recently.
Towards the end of the interview, Doctor Pramod Kumar Singh shared his pearls of wisdom. He stated that this Government job of a doctor is not just a vocation, it is the hope of the people. “For the local people, the PHC is their ray of hope. We have to make these hospitals competent and serviceable, because we are responsible to do just this” - he mentioned passionately. The locals should have confidence in these Government hospitals, if not, the privatisation will rise and it will be more difficult for people to get access to universal health care. He mentioned that through this video he wants to appeal to all the Government Doctors and medical employees to perform their duties with mindfulness and responsibility.
“The real happiness will come to you when you selflessly work for others” - Doctor Pramod Kumar Singh ended his interview with this last line. This is indeed an example of a model Public Health Centre. Hope others will emulate this model of integrity and selfless public service.
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