The newly constructed Outreach Clinic or ORC at Dogaag Chiwog in Dagana’s Gozhi Gewog has been left idle for over a year now. The Gozhi Gup said without power supply, the facility could not be used. Dogaag Chiwog has pregnant women, infants, and patients requiring monthly medicine refills.
The Gozhi Gewog Administration outsourced the ORC construction works to a community contractor in February of last year.
The gewog administration spent around Nu 700,000 for the works.
The facility is equipped with toilets and water supply but has not benefited residents so far.
The chiwog also has infants, pregnant women, and several patients requiring medicine refills every month.
According to reports maintained with Khagochen Primary Healthcare Centre, Dogaag Chiwog has 25 women falling between the age range of 15 and 49.
“The ORC was completed around a year ago. It is difficult to get monthly checkups for our children from a distant ORC. I would be thankful if monthly checkups are provided from the new ORC,” said Pema Choki, a resident from Dogaag Chiwog.
“It has been a long time saying the ORC will be opened soon. Mothers having infants are suffering without a nearby ORC and are excited about its opening. It might be because the gewog administration did not get approval from the higher authority. We enquired about it but gup did not give us any updates,” said Deki Yangzom, another resident.
Today, residents of Balegang Chiwog and upper Dogaag Chiwog visit the Balegang ORC for monthly checkups for their newborns.
The Balegang facility is in poor condition requiring immediate renovation. The toilet at the ORC needs maintenance and does not have water supply.
Meanwhile, BBS learnt that the senior medical officer of Dagapela Hospital has issued an office order asking Khagochen Primary Healthcare Centre to conduct monthly outreach clinic services alternatively from the new Dogaag ORC and Balegang ORC starting this month.
Additionally, the Gozhi Gup said that the gewog administration has submitted electric pole requisition, which is expected to arrive soon.
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
Edited by Sherub Dorji
