Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as per her pledges has ensured health services for all, especially the rural neglected people in remote villages. However, thousands of people of Nityanandapur union under Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah are still in the mercy of the service provider of the Community Clinic.
People of the union are deprived of minimum health services, as the local Community Health Service Provider (CHCP), a resident of Shahbajpur village under the same union allegedly opens or shuts the clinic whenever he desires.
Hearing about the allegations from the locals this correspondent visited Shekhra Community Clinic in Nityanadapur union, about 15 kilometers east from the upazila Sadar on Tuesday and found the clinic shut.
Locals said, CHCP Nur Amin was not opening the clinic since last Thursday adding that the closure of the clinic for an uncertain period was a regular incident there as the CHCP was irregular in his duties.
Patients from Shekhra, Nijpalashi, Charbhabanipur Shajbajpur, Gopalpur and some other surrounding villages come to the clinic for health services and treatment. Unfortunately some multipurpose health volunteers (MHV) who were yet to be trained, opens the clinic as per their wish, obstructing health services, they said.
Some women requesting to remain unnamed said mothers and children rushing to the clinic are returned empty handed as the CHCP is not present there most of the time which is hampering maternal and child health services in the locality.
Villagers said about 19 to 28 types of medicines are supplied at the clinic by the government to provide the locals when needed, but they are unlucky not to get the services at the community clinic as per their requirement.
Nityanadapur UP chairman Faruque Hossain when contacted refused to say anything about the activities of the CHCP Nur Alam. However, Nur Alam when contacted over cell phone after repeated attempts said he was availing leave due to physical complications since Thursday.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer when contacted, said he was not informed about any leave application by said CHCP Nur Alam at all. He said, he will look in to the matter.