Woes of 5,000 Hapless Islanders

Where people have to travel 10 km for treatment

19 December 2009, 17:00 PM

Rafique Sarker from Lalmonirhat

Carried by relatives, a patient from Char Gobardhan under Mohishkhocha union in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district heading towards a health centre, about 10-kilometre away from the remote island in the Teesta River.Photo: STAR

Around 5,000 people of Char Goberdhan island in Lalmonirhat are not getting proper healthcare facilities since collapse of the lone community clinic in the locality over two years ago due to erosion by the Teesta River. The residents of the remote island in Aditmari upazila now have to travel at least 10 kilometres to go to Mohishkhocha union for treatment, local people said. Char Goberdhan, an island in the middle of the Teesta River under Mohishkhocha union, is about 18 kms northwest of Aditmari upazila headquarters. Some 1,500 families have been living there. In the last three years, several houses in the island were damaged at least twice by river erosion, said Zamir Uddin, a member of the union parishad. "Sufferings of those who fall ill know no bound as no government or non-government organisation has come up with healthcare service for them after the collapse of the health care centre in 2007," said the UP member. It is really very difficult to take patients to any clinic outside the island for treatment, said former UP member Nabiar Rahman. He said many critically ill people died without treatment at their houses after the collapse of the clinic. These hapless villagers did not have financial ability as well as they were not in a position to travel long way for treatment, he added. During a recent visit to the remote island, this correspondent visited a tuberculosis patient. “I could not go to Aditmari Upazila Health Complex for medicine due to lack of money although I need to procure them today, said Khalil. This correspondent also saw how the relatives of a patient, who became unconscious due to high fever, were facing difficulties to take him to Aditmari Upazila Health Complex. “We have decided to set up a community clinic in the island again. Before doing it, we are going to start a satellite health clinic there,” said Dr Atiar Rahman, Aditmari upazila health and family planning officer.