THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, July 11: US President Donald Trump’s curbs on foreign funding have affected the humanitarian health services in Jharkhand.
The Hans Foundation, a prestigious and popular NGO working on healthcare and facilities for the most marginalised communities, such as the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), has stopped its medical mobile units in Jharkhand over the last three months.
Vital Services to PVTG Communities Disrupted
Dr John F Kennedy, the new Civil Surgeon (CS) of Garhwa who prior to his posting in Garhwa as CS, used to deal with the Hans Foundation’s medical mobile units in the state health department in Jharkhand government told this correspondent, “The Hans Foundation used to run 90 medical mobile units in Jharkhand which is off the roads now for over the last three months or so. Fund crunch is stated to be behind winding up for the medical mobile units.”
It’s all because of Donald Trump’s embargo on the foreign funding, Dr Kennedy repeated, quoting the Hans Foundation.
These medical mobile units used to cater to the medical needs of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), reiterated Dr Kennedy, who is known for his ‘outreach in difficult areas where even angels fear to tread’.
Also Read- Monsoon surge brings heavy rain alert for Jharkhand till July 14
New Civil Surgeon Responds to Emergency Ward Neglect
Dr Kennedy took over the charge of the Garhwa Civil Surgeon on Thursday and within a little over an hour or so had to rush to the Emergency, where a motley crowd of patients were waiting for the doctor on Emergency duty who was nowhere around.
“I got a phone call of no doctor on duty in the Emergency Thursday afternoon. I didn’t even try to find out who the doctor ought to be there. I rushed to the Emergency. There were too many patients there, most of them down with viral fever. I began writing their prescriptions when the doctor on Emergency duty turned up. I didn’t say anything to this doctor. I believe the said doctor was intelligent enough to see who the man was in the chair where he should have been in time,” added Dr Kennedy.
The new Civil Surgeon said, “The patients and their attendants were just soaking in terrible humidity there as there was no fan there. I have ordered for immediate installation of fans there”.
Focus on Reaching the Unreached
About the footfall of the poorest of the poor patients in the Sadar Hospital, Garhwa, Dr Kennedy said, “We need to cater to such people medically who keep off themselves from us. I strongly believe that we should reach the marginalised communities and lend a helping hand in overcoming their health issues.”
“There are people who never feel it any proper to visit the government hospitals. I seek active cooperation of my esteemed fellow doctors and staff to have an effective deliverance of health care for the people of lesser gods,” opined Dr Kennedy.
