Gayatri is a social worker since 2001 and a Community Correspondent. The veteran activist has worked consistently to break down historically ingrained and accepted caste and gender-based discrimination whose effects she personally experienced. Girls in her village were prohibited from continuing their education and were married at an early age. Gayatri, however, was determined to study. The higher secondary school…

Gayatri Ambedkar

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Residents of Raipur village, Uttar Pradesh are aloof from health care assistance, as a sub-health center continues to be non-operational for more than twelve years. 

Access to health care is a national concern and is correlated with the overall development of the country. In India, there is a huge inequality in healthcare distribution, although 66% of the population live in rural areas, while most of the doctors are in urban areas. In Raipur village, Ambedkar Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, a sub-health center is in a defunct state for the last twelve years. 

The shortage of infrastructure and health providers is most acute in rural areas. As per the latest government report, Uttar Pradesh has only one doctor for every 19,000 people. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there should be one doctor for every thousand people. 

Nearly 20 villages covering 20,000 people are living in poor conditions due to lack of health care infrastructure, irregular drug supply, and medical assistance. Narrating the ordeal of the situation, Sunita Verma, a resident, will have to go outside Raipur village for her delivery. Narrating the ordeal of her situation she said she will either go to Biwana or Akbarpur, which is the next closest hospital from her place is 9 km and 20 km respectively. “There is no ambulance: we have to hire a vehicle” she added. 

Gram Pradhan of Raipur village acknowledges that the sub-health center is not functioning, and the healthcare of the community has been neglected. When further prodding, he said, “On finding out we got to know that the building has not been handed over as yet.” An application was sent by him numerous times regarding the handover, but the condition of the sub-health center remains the same.

However, village-level female health workers, Auxiliary nurse midwife (ANMs) go around the houses in the village for vaccination. 

Support the residents of Raipur village, by calling the Chief Medical Officer of Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, at +91-9415338861, and urge him to take action. 

Video by Community Correspondent Gayatri Devi

Article by Grace Jolliffe, a Member of VV Editorial Team.