Karkala: The health sub-centre which is supposed to provide service to the patients of Kukkundur village has become useless due to the lack of health care assistants.
Kukkundur village has a population of 13,000 and around 5,000 people should have availed the benefits of the health sub-centre which was created in 2018 under the grant from the health and family welfare department. But, since there are no health care assistants here, presently the sub-centre is not turning out to be a boon for the people.
Built at the cost of Rs 30 lakh
Nakre health sub-centre was handed over to the public on Nov 21
st 2018, by the then district in-charge minister Dr Jayamala. The building had been built at the cost of Rs 30 lakh. Initially, there was a health care assistant providing service here. She was considered to be a good health care assistant by the people, but she was forced to take leave due to ill-health. Although, it’s almost 6 months since she went on leave, the health department has taken absolutely no trouble to appoint another staff to fill the vacancy.
There is a primary health care centre in Kukkundur village located about a kilometer away from the Nakre health sub-centre. Hence pregnant women prefer to visit the primary health care centre for treatment. Therefore, the locals are questioning the rationale behind the need to build a health sub-centre within such close proximity.
Vacant posts
There are altogether 16 primary health centres and 73 sub-centres in Karkala. Only 54 posts of the available 73 posts for a health care assistant have been filled. 19 posts have remained vacant. Besides, of the 36 health care assistant posts, only 5 have been filled while the remaining 31 posts remain vacant.
Staff appointment soon
It is true that the health care centres are facing staff shortage. The health care assistant at Nekra health sub-centre is on vacation due to ill-health. Another staff will be appointed there soon – Dr| Krishnananda Shetty, Taluk Medical Officer
