Anand Pagare is a media activist working in one of the most sensitive areas in the country, Malegaon. A boiling pot of communal strife, the town is in the constant grip of violence and religious tensions, but while these stories are picked up by the mainstream press, there are still atrocities that happen under the radar. Anand, born into a…

Anand Pagare

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Inadequate facilities and lack of awareness puts lives at risk in Maharashtra village.

About the video:  Lives of the people staying in the rural areas of Malegaon are at risk because of lack of adequate facilities in the local Government Hospital.

The people are now demanding for an adequate supply of medicines and other required heathcare facilities. The doctors at the government hospital frequently plead the lack of adequate resources as an excuse. People allege that while the doctors on government payroll have the time and money to run their own private hospitals and practices, they are apathetic to the suffering of patients brought to the government hospital. As per regulations, it is illegal for doctors employed by the government to hold a private practice. To this end, they are also paid a non-practicing allowance.

The closest private hospital is 16km away from the village which makes it very difficult from them to access it. Hence these villagers visit the nearby local doctors and tend to manage their illness or pain on temporary basis.

There is no Health Committee or any other related Committee in the village Council or Panchayat which considers the safety and well being of the villagers. Also awareness of government healthcare schemes is non-existent among the villagers. For example, Rs. 10,000 is provided by the government for the Health care of the villagers. But the villagers themselves are not aware about.

Community Correspondent Says: Anand Pagare our Community Correspondent who is a resident of Malegaon himself, through this video invites viewers to send in suggestions for solving this issue.