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A journey that is not possible

Karthik Madhavan

Bargur villagers suffer without adequate health facilities

BARGUR HILLS: For villagers in and around Bargur hills, life's journey begins and perhaps ends in a cradle. The latter because for a sick few among them their journey to hospital, or in worst case to a nearby bus stop en route to hospital has cost their lives.

The makeshift cradle they get carried in turns coffin and the carriers become pallbearers.

The reason: High up in the Bargur hills most hamlets do not have road connectivity and for those that have, the bus frequency is rather poor. From such villages persons requiring urgent medical attention are often carried in a makeshift cradle, which is a long, thick cloth tied to two bamboos that are shouldered by four persons. But this journey happens only during the day, for the animals on the prowl in the forest area prevent villagers from stepping out in the evenings.

Take for example, the plight of villagers, mostly tribals, in Kongadi hamlet. They will have to walk, rather trek, 15 km to Maniaachimedu, from where they will have to board a bus, as and when it comes, to reach Bargur.

At Bargur, depending upon their luck, they may get medical attention, for not all treatment is offered there. Most often they are advised to visit Anthiyur Government Hospital, which is about 25 km downhill. The Primary Health Centre (PHC), Bargur, which is perhaps the only functional Government medical facility in the 32.82 sq km hill area, did not have a doctor until recently.

Health Department sources in Erode say they posted doctor A. V. Vijaya Priaya two months ago. Villagers, however, allege that her services are not available on all days. "She is available only on Tuesdays and Fridays," complains Karian, a tribal villager. The doctor was not available for comment on Friday. A PHC worker told The Hindu she was away for a meeting.

In this PHC women can only have natural deliveries. For Ceasarean deliveries, the women are advised to go to Anthiyur hospital, a journey that is not only difficult and tiresome but sometimes also impossible, to say the least. Here again in the PHC in-patient facility for the pregnant is available.

Inaugurated in February 2003, till date this has been under lock and key without beds. Women coming for delivery to this PHC are attended to and immediately sent home, says a PHC worker on conditions of anonymity.

But this is only in Bargur. In hamlets such as Devarmalai, which has a PHC sub-centre, there is no medical help whatsoever. Village Health Nurse (VHN) who is supposed to man the Centre is not available for the last two years.

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