Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Jan 20: Following the death of a four-year-old girl who was run over by a bus at Shirva late evening on Tuesday January 19, the locals on Wednesday January 20 staged a protest over the lack of facilities and shortage of staff in Shirva community health centre.
Mahin Taj (4), daughter of Javed Badshah and Parvin Taj from Shirva who stay in Mysuru. The bus ran over Mahin while she was waiting with her grandparents near Shirva mosque to catch a bus to Moodubelle. When her body was taken to the community health centre in Shirva, the doctor had allegedly initially refused to conduct post-mortem, and locals had alleged that due to shortage of staff and facilities, the health centre was not equipped to handle emergency cases.
Addressing the protest on Wednesday, the protestors claimed that the health centre had only one health officer, and no doctors were available in emergency situations. "The ambulance generator does not work, and the electric lights in the premises have remained non-functional from several years. Both kitchen and toilets are dirty and stink. The health centre should be renovated and fully equipped without any delay," they said.
Health officer of the Shirva community health centre Dr Jagadish refuted charges that there was delay in conducting the post-mortem and said, "The health centre has only one doctor. When the girl who was hit by the bus was brought to the centre, she was already dead. I immediately conducted the post-mortem and handed over the body to the family."
Udupi district health officer (DHO) Dr Rohini arrived at the spot and spoke to the protestors. "The government has recently appointed three private doctors. As they are private, it is not possible to put pressure on them. Solutions to all problems will be sought very soon and everything will be set right," she assured.
When the locals pointed out that the headlights of the 108 ambulance was not functioning from a long time, the DHO summoned the ambulance driver and took him to task.
Dr Rohini also accepted a memorandum submitted by the protestors.