Patuakhali Correspondent :
Treatment at Kochchhpkhali community clinic housed at the family welfare centre (FWC) in Kalapara Upazila under the Patuakhali district has remained stopped for five months as no alternative arrangement was made after the community health care provider (CHCP) went on maternity leave in June this year.
Medicine supply to the clinic also remained stopped since November last year.
Md. Ali Hossain, Health Assistant of the FWC was transferred to another place one year ago and CHCP Mahmuda Yeasmin went on maternity leave on June 22 this year while the lone staff of the centre Habiba Akther, family welfare assistant, seldom comes here to attend patients, sources said.
Around 15,000 people in the surrounding areas are deprived of health services due to the situation.
“Nobody gets treatment from the community clinic for over five months while earlier 25 to 30 patients, mostly women, came here to receive treatment daily,” said Abul Bashar, a resident of Kochchhpkhali village.
However, some people come here for special programmes like Vitamin A distribution, he said, The old building of the clinic has turned very risky due to lack of renovation, he added.
During a visit to the clinic a few days ago, this correspondent found five pregnant women waiting in front of the clinic as they heard that a doctor would come there. “Earlier I came here four days but returned as no doctor came. We can’t go to the upazila hospital as it is about 12 km from my houses,” said Sufia Begum, one the women, before leaving the clinic without seeing any doctor.
Md. Shah Alam, Kalapara upazila family planning officer, said, “We will see why the family welfare assistant is not available for service there”.
Dr. Lokman Hakim, Kalapara upazila Health officer said, “CHCP of the clinic is on leave but I don’t know whether the clinic services are totally stopped. I came here recently and I will take step after taking proper information in this regard”.
