The District Headquarters Hospital, Kendrapara. Telegraph picture

Paradip, March 30: With a sizeable chunk of doctors’ posts lying vacant, the government-run health service network in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts is on the verge of a complete breakdown. Cashing in on the situation are quacks.

Of the 204 sanctioned posts of doctors, 104 posts are lying vacant in both districts. This has virtually paralysed the health service network with things going from bad to worse with each passing day.

Bereft of basic services, people have begun venting their anger by staging agitations. And when all else fails, people in remote corners of the districts are increasingly visiting quacks.

“There have been public demonstrations seeking improvement in government health service in various places in front of block offices in the recent past,” said Shantanu Kumar Das, sub-divisional police officer, Paradip.

Kendrapara district accounts for 61 vacant posts against 122 sanctioned posts while Jagatsinghpur has 43 vacant sanctioned posts.

“The ground realities are grim and the governmental health service has abysmally failed to cater to the needs of sick people spread across the nine blocks of the district,” said Upendra Biswal, Jagatsinghpur district wing president of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“Given the state of affairs, it is apparent that health is no longer on the priority list of the state government. Poor people are left to fend for themselves as health centres and dispensaries are left unmanned. It’s the small children and pregnant women who are suffering the most,” said Debendra Sharma, Kendrapara district wing chief of the Congress party.

“Some contractual doctors are expected join shortly. Things will then improve to some extent. Still, it will not entirely solve the problem in the health sector. We have written to the government for deployment of more doctors. Hopefully, our request will be addressed,” said Bharat Keshari Sahu, chief district medical officer, Kendrapara.

Jagatsinghpur chief district medical officer Rabindra Kumar Das spoke on the same lines. “We are trying to manage with the available infrastructure. The vacant posts are likely to be filled up shortly,” Das said.

In the district headquarters hospital, all-important specialist posts of tuberculosis, malaria, orthopaedics, pathology, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and radiology are vacant.