Sweeper turns doc in govt community centre

​Pathikonda: A sweeper in the Government Community and Nutrition Centre, here, assumed the role of lady doctor on Sunday as none of the seven physicians turned up for duty till 11.30 am. The doctors allotted themselves one day for each of them in a week. Sunday is a holiday for the centre. Although there are two dental doctors, no one is sure who will turn up for duty. Anyway, one of them is finding it difficult to work at the centre.

As a result, taking care of public health in the centre, located in Deputy Chief Minister K E Krishnamurthy’s constituency of Pathikonda, is left to the mercy of the lower level staff. This happened on Sunday when Sarada, a resident of Pandikona, was brought to the centre in a serious condition after she allegedly consumed pesticide. The sweeper treated her as no doctor was present. Since no doctor turned up till 1 pm, the patient was sent to the Kurnool government hospital, as suggested by the sweeper.

Such incidents allegedly occur on daily basis, resulting in patient casualties. Nurses of the centre refer the patients injured in road accidents and bitten by snakes besides farmers attempting suicides to the government hospitals at Kurnool and Adoni. K E Krishnamurthy said that he came to know about the pathetic condition of the community health centre and he would immediately take measures to improve it.

By Shaik Sha Vali