Nanda Dolui, the group-D employee at the health centre in Godapiashal village in West Midnapore, attends to a patient. Picture by Saikat Santra

TT, Salboni, Oct. 14: A primary health centre in West Midnapore that caters for at least 22,000 villagers is being run by a lone doctor for the past six months.

When the doctor is away, the general duty attendant, a group-D employee who is supposed to assist the physician while treating a patient, stands in for him.

The primary health centre in Godapiashal, about 15km from Midnapore town, had two doctors till six months ago. After one of them was transferred to Contai in East Midnapore in April, the government is yet to fill up the vacant post.

Residents of 22 villages are dependent on the health centre. When the doctor is not available or there is a long queue of patients, the villagers have to travel 15km to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital for even minor ailments such as fever and stomach ache.

Sudipta Bhandari, the lone doctor at the facility, also attends to patients at two health sub-centres under Kashijora and Karnagarh gram panchayats twice a week.

"This is a 24-hour health centre. When the doctor does night shift, he takes off the next day. So, the general duty attendant treats the patients in the morning," said one of the two nurses at the health centre.

Asked about the situation at the health centre, Bhandari said: "Whatever I do, I do it according to norms. I will not make any further comments."

Nanda Dolui, the group-D employee who attends to patients in Bhandari's absence, said he couldn't send back the villagers who flock to the health centre with ailments.

"Every day, 40 to 50 patients turn up at the health centre with different types of diseases. How can I send them back? But I treat only minor problems such as fever or stomach ache. I give them medicines like paracetamol for fever, metrogyl tablets for problems like amoebiasis or simple painkillers and antacids. If the problem is serious, I ask the patients' relatives to take them to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital," said Dolui.

Homemaker Alpana Maity, a resident of Godapiashal village, said she goes to a private practitioner for her high blood pressure, which needs regular monitoring. "What to do? I don't get the doctor at the health centre regularly. So, I have to visit a private practitioner and get my pressure checked. It is quite a costly affair," she said.

Villagers said travelling to the hospital in Midnapore town cost them Rs 200 on an average, including bus fare and meals.

The chief medical officer of health of West Midnapore, Girish Chandra Bera, said: "I will inquire into the matter. We are trying to get a doctor at the health centre on deputation for the time being until someone is given permanent posting."