RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Oct.28: Health centres in Harmu Housing Colony have no priority for the government, which has developed and inaugurated 11 parks in the locality.
It was experienced after a rough survey of the residential colony, which is the biggest residential locality of the state developed by Jharkhand State Housing Board (earlier Bihar State Housing Board) about 50 years ago.
The colony with more than one lakh population depends on private nursing homes and clinics crop up in big numbers for health services as there is no government run health centre.
“Locality people do not have anything other than going to Sadar Hospital in Main Road or Primary Health Centre in Ashok Nagar in case free of cost treatment is required. Though there are four private hospitals and over a dozen private clinics, those involved in its management focus more on business than service resulting in a trust deficit among the common people. Most of the people prefer medical store owners to doctors of private nursing homes or private clinics for taking advice,” a locality resident said laughing.
The colony comes under ward 26 of Ranchi Municipal Corporation. Contacted its councillor Arun Kumar Jha for his comment on the matter, he admitted the situation saying he has already taken initiative in this direction.
“During inauguration of Sardar Patel park on Wednesday, I handed a letter to chief minister Hemant Soren requesting him for a health centre in the colony. As the owner of the land in the locality is the Jharkhand State Housing Board, I have urged him to take steps for establishment of a health centre in the locality with due consultation with the housing board and the health department,” Jha said.
“While having parks with facilities for morning walk, exercise and games is a preventative measure against any disease in any residential locality, having a health centre is a curative measure against disease. I am committed to both,” Jha added.
