Pattamundai: There is a sudden surge in the number of illegal patholabs and X-ray labs in the town. The health authorities are keeping quite even though they are aware of the situation.
So much so that the chief district medical officer (CDMO) has not ordered an inquiry even as he has been made aware of the illegal practices. The government has laid down clear policies on the structure and equipment to be made available in a patholab.
However, the patholabs here are running from one-room setups. There are primary health centres (PHCs) at Alapua, Tulasidia, Andari, Sanjaria, Badapada, Chandannagar and Adajodi that come under the subdivisional hospital at Pattamundai.
These PHCs are surrounded by illegal patholabs. The locals have demanded a survey of these illegal patholabs and their immediate closure. Demands are mounting for actions against the owners of the illegal patholabs.
Similarly, there are private clinics running in Pattamundai. Locals allege that the private clinics violate health department rules. What has concerned the intelligentsia here is that there is a fast fall in the gender ratio in Pattamundai.
The number of men far outnumbers that of women in Pattamundai. The reason for this imbalance is the practice of pre-natal tests and female foeticide at the illegal patholabs and clinics.
Allegations are pouring in about such tests and practices in the illegal patholabs.
Even though there are boards fixed outside these patholabs, stating that pre-natal tests are illegal and they are never carried out there, in practice the patholabs encourage such tests and facilitate female foeticides.
That the health authorities are completely silent on these illegal activities raises questions on their sincerity. Locals have sought intervention of the health minister.
They said the health minister immediately order an investigation and subsequent actions against their owners.
Chief district medical officer Anita Patnaik said she has not received complaints in this regard and she will definitely take actions against the pathoabs and private clinics once such complaints come to her notice.
PNN
