The primary health centre at Ishmailpur in Bhagalpur that is lying defunct since 2009. Picture by Amit Kumar

Sumitra Devi, a resident of Ishmailpur, gave birth to a child on the road near Dimha village on her way to Gopalpur primary health centre (PHC) in March 2011. Her husband, Mishri Yadav, who was suffering from kala azar died in November 2011, on his way to the same health centre.

“If the PHC at Ishmailpur had been functioning, I would not have to face the two incidents,” Sumitra said.

Like her, hundreds of residents of Ishmailpur alleged that the delay in functioning of the PHC had claimed many lives. “From 2011 till date, more than 15 people have died for want of proper treatment on time. The residents have to cover inaccessible diara lands for treatment,” said Monohar Kumar, the mukhiya of Ishmailpur.

The PHC at Ishmailpur block under Naugachia sub-division — the foundation for which was laid twice — has failed to become operational, leave aside delivering healthcare to residents.

Several residents of Ishmailpur block have died in the past three years because they could not have access to treatment on time with the PHC lying defunct.

“Since there are no roads in this flood-prone area, we have to carry patients on cots to Gopalpur PHC, located 9km away,” Rajesh Kumar Yadav, the mukhiya of Kamalakund panchayat, said. Yadav alleged that because of an alleged war of supremacy between JD(U) MLA Gopal Mandal and former RJD MLA R.K. Rana, the fate of the PHC is hanging in balance.

On August 16, 2008, chief minister Nitish Kumar had laid the foundation of the health centre. “From the beginning, Mandal was against setting up of the PHC at Ishmailpur. After the foundation was laid, he laid another foundation for the same PHC at Suddan Tola in the Parbatta area,” said Khantar Mandal, the deputy mukhiya of Ishmailpur. “I am suffering from high fever for the past 10 days but I haven’t been able to visit Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (27km from Bhagalpur). I think it is kala azar. There are more than 50 patients suffering from the same in the village. The non-availability of medical facility has aggravated our problem,” he added.

Sources said the building was completed in 2009 at Rs 42 lakh. Even after three years, the building the PHC has not started functioning,” alleged Murlidhar Singh, former block president of BJP at Ishmailpur. “My son Awadhesh Yadav died of snakebite. We could not save him owing to lack of treatment. I had donated 2 bighas for the PHC building. But the government has not realised our plight,” said Kishan Yadav.

Attempts to contact Gopal proved futile. Khantar had recently called on Nitish and on his direction, Amarjeet Sinha, the health department principal secretary, assured Khantar of solving the problem.

However, health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey admitted to the problems faced by villagers owing to lack of a PHC. “I had promised them to inaugurate it by April 15, 2012. The programme has been deferred as we are facing technical problems in appointing special doctors at the hospital,” he told The Telegraph.

On the fate of the hospital, he said after the proposed Swasthya Maha Kumbh on April 29-30 at Bhagalpur, he would take special initiative for opening the PHC.