SILCHAR, May 5 - Health infrastructure in the hospitals of the tea gardens of Barak Valley running on the public-private partnership model are enmeshed in a plethora of woes.
A closer look into the situation in Cachar district which has 52 tea gardens, reveals the concern over the poor performance of the hospitals owing to a list of reasons calling for attention. As per the data available with the Tea Association of India, Barak Valley branch, back in 2010-11 the State Government signed MoUs with around 30 tea gardens of Cachar district. However, at present, there are only 15 tea gardens which have been able to meet the criteria for renewal of the project.
Saradindu Bhattacharjee, secretary, TAI Barak Valley, who has been monitoring the developments informed The Assam Tribune on Thursday that as per the project terms, funds are being provided for disbursing salaries of MBBS doctors, ANM, GNM nurses, lab technicians and pharmacists. He said that the the government allots fund to the tune of Rs 7.5 lakh as annual expenditure to the hospitals in the gardens. But lack of interest among the doctors who do not wish to serve at a monthly salary of Rs 40,000 and even drivers who refuse to work at a salary of Rs 3,000 per month has hit the services acutely.
Further, Bhattacharjee said that hospitals at Bhuvan Valley, Coomber, Cossipore, Lakhipur, West Jalenga, Arkatipore, Urnabond,Doyapore, Chandighat, Rampur, Pathimara, Dewan, Bikrampore, Larsing, and Pathichora tea gardens have renewed their PPP terms for 2018-19, while hospitals at the Irongmara, Craigpark, Rukhni, Poloi, Digabor, Kalaincherra and Dilkhush tea gardens are out of the PPP model.
�If sustained, the PPP initiative is a good initiative. It must run smoothly . Also, the introduction of MMU units are a huge success. Two vans including a van for conducting tests reaches places for treatment even in remote locations. We are making efforts to streamline the situation,� the TAI secretary added.
On the other hand, realising the state of poor performance of the hospitals in the gardens under PPP fold, Cachar Deputy Commissioner Laya Madduri held a review meeting with the stakeholders and assessed the situation. �Amidst a threadbare discussion on the issue, it was found that some of the tea gardens are performing poorly in terms of immunisation, OPD and IPD, Institutional delivery. Clear instructions have been given to the gardens to rejuvenate the situation and stress on improving the manpower quotient as per the NHM PPP norms. The PPP tea gardens must mandatorily display the signboard of the PPP with Government of Assam and NHM logo. Proper submission of monthly reports and UCs is mandatory for release of funds. Any lapses in maintaining the norms shall invite penalties in the form of contract termination for the underperforming gardens,� Madduri stated.
She informed that the TAI seecretary has agreed to convene meetings with the garden managers on these issues shortly and the Joint Director Health Services Cachar will also attend the meetings.
Meanwhile, Dr Sudip Jyoti Das, Joint Director Health Services said that the meeting is likely to be held within the next few days and performance of the garden as per the PPP criteria will be thoroughly analysed.
