Mirzapur Bawar Kumarjani Community Clinic submerged under water, causing sufferings to public
Md. Abusaleh Shojib, Mirzapur ( Tangail)
Bawar Kumarjani Community Clinic in Ward No. 5 of Mirzapur Municipality in Tangail has submerged in water for almost four months of the year. As a result, health workers are forced to provide medical services at other people's homes during this time. Health workers and about 10,000 people who come for treatment are suffering greatly.
It was learnt that the government took the initiative to establish a community clinic in 1998 to provide healthcare to the poor people of the village. There are a total of 54 clinics in one municipality and 14 unions of this upazila. Out of these, this clinic was built on the land given by Md. Moslem Uddin in Purbapara of Bawar Kumarjani village.
At least 50 to 70 patients are served in the clinic every day. The problem is that although there is a paved road in front of the clinic, it is located on land 5-6 feet below the road. When the monsoon season starts, water rises in the land by the end of June and the clinic is submerged. This water usually recedes by mid-October.
As a result, the clinic remains unused for about four months of the year and health workers are forced to provide services in temporary shelters. The plasterwork of various parts of the clinic building is also damaged and in a dilapidated condition.
Like every year, this time too, since the clinic is submerged under water, medical services are being provided at the house of Lokman Hossain, a neighbor. Service recipients flock to that house with various problems.
Shobahan Mia, a resident of Kumarjani village in Bawar, said, "It is uncomfortable to go to people's houses and gather medicine. Patients cannot properly talk about their problems."
Mizanur Rahman Mithu, a resident of Pashchimpara in the village, complained that many service seekers do not know which house provides medical services. This makes them suffer.
Lokman Hossain, the owner of the temporary service center, said, "Due to the flooding of the clinic, medicines are being given at our house. It is crowded every day of the week. This causes a lot of inconvenience to our daily work. But we have to make concessions for the people of the village."
In this regard, Community Health Care Provider (CHCP) of Bawar Kumarjani Community Clinic, Ziasimin Akhter, said, "The clinic is under water for four months every year. Then, I have to go to other people's houses to give medicines, and the service recipients also suffer. The matter has been reported to the higher authorities."
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Md. Faridul Islam said, the clinic has been built at a much lower level than the road, so it gets submerged when the monsoon water comes.
In this regard, Mirzapur UNO A.B.M. Ariful Islam said, necessary steps will be taken as soon as possible after talking to the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer and on the advice of senior officials.
