Locals Block Road Over Doctors’ Shortage In Kalahandi

Bhawanipatna: Hundreds of locals of Koksara block in Kalahandi staged a road blockade on National Highway-26 in Dharmgarh on Wednesday to protest against doctors’ shortage in the block.

Following the blockade, movement of vehicles on the road connecting Bhawanipatna and Jeypore was affected. A large number of vehicles, particularly trucks and buses, remained stranded on two-kilometre stretch for nearly two hours.

Traders and members of different social organisations extended their support to the strike.

“People in the block have been deprived of accessing proper healthcare services as many doctor posts in the government-run hospitals are lying vacant since long. Despite our repeated requests, no efforts have been made to fill up the vacant posts. Immediate steps should also be taken to develop better infrastructure in the hospitals of the district”, an agitator said.