Activists of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Monday staged a protest demanding better healthcare facilities at the primary and community health centres in the city. The activists staged the protest in front of the Mangalore City Corporation’s health centre at Urwa Stores.
DYFI city unit president B.K. Imtiyaz said they had been fighting to improve the facilities at the primary and community health centres that were plagued with a lack of doctors and nursing staff. Absence of facilities at the units was forcing people to spend more on treatment at private hospitals and clinics, Mr. Imtiyaz said.
DYFI activist Santosh Bajal alleged that the health centre at Urwa Stores was closed on most days. “How can a hospital only run between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.?” he asked, adding that post-graduate students were being assigned for treatment. Activists told corporation health officer Manjaiah Shetty, who had come to receive the representation, that the doctors posted at the Urwa Stores health centre did not understand the language of the patients.
Dr. Shetty said as the doctors were post-graduate students they would be from other States. The nursing staff at the centre could translate the problems of patients to the doctors.
DYFI activist Prashant Achar said he visited the centre few days ago. “The doctor posted here did not know English or Hindi. How can you expect nursing staff to convey patients’ problem?” he asked.
Dr. Shetty said health facilities would improve as the State government has proposed to open 10 dispensaries in different parts of the city under the National Urban Health Mission scheme. These dispensaries would come up in new buildings and would have more number of doctors and nursing staff.
