Mathili: A woman of Kamalapadar village under Govindpali panchayat under this police limits in Malkangiri district has been suffering from fever for five days now. Her family members are getting her treated at a village quack, instead of taking her to hospital.
“Bad road condition has forced us to treat her at a village quack. Neither a vehicle can come to our village, nor do we dare to cross the river, which is in spate now,” said the woman’s family members.
This is not an isolated case of villagers here. Anyone of Malaguda, Pakanaguda, Kamalapadar, Gojiaguda and Venusjodi villages who needs instant medical attention has no option but to fall upon local quacks. They, who survive, albeit for some days, are regarded lucky.
A few days ago, three villagers of Gojiaguda village died of diarrhoea. Particularly during rainy season, the villagers have to live with two problems: bad roads and the swollen river.
Many times the villagers bring the patients on a cot up to the river and a boat transports them to the other side. From there, they arrange a vehicle to reach a nearby hospital.
Sometimes, they have to take the patients back. The country boat needs two boatmen to ferry passengers. Sometimes it is found unmanned. In this case, taking a patient to the other side of the river becomes impossible.
These villages are just five km away from panchayat sadar. Still, they have been made to live with suffering arising out of lack of communication and health facilities.
Though the work on the road from Govindapali to Gojiaguda started a year back, it is yet to be completed. “The road condition was comparatively good prior to commencement of the construction. Now, we cannot even walk on this road,” the villagers alleged.
On the other hand, the ground breaking ceremony for a bridge at Gojiaguda Ghat was performed sometime ago; but the work has not progressed beyond that, villagers alleged.
“If the bridge and road construction work do not complete by the 2019 election, we will not allow any leader to enter our villages. If required, we may boycott the election,” the frustrated villagers said.
PNN
