Despite having passed two years after the completion of the construction works, the authorities concerned have failed to start the activities at a community clinic in Rajnagar upazila there because of not handing over it by the contractor.
Consequently, about 6,000 people under the purview of the clinic have long been deprived of health service amid the state.
It was learnt that the health engineering directorate had floated a tender for establishing a community clinic in Madhur Dokan area of Panchgaon union in the upazila in the FY 2012-13 with an estimated cost of Tk12 lakh.
Finally, a construction firm from Sylhet gained the works and ended the construction within the stipulated time.
Meanwhile, the health department has appointed a Community Health Care Provider (CHCP) and allotted necessary medicine for the clinic.
Even, the issue of starting clinic was discussed several times in the meetings of the upazila coordination committee.
When asked, Panchgaon UP Chairman Mihir Kanti Das Manju acknowledged the unusual delay in the start of the community clinic and said: “I have raised the concern many times in the upazila coordination committee meeting and my effort finally ends in vain. People particularly the poor in my locality have been deprived of health facility amid the situation.”
Rajnagar upazila Chairman Md Askir Khan echoed the Mihir’s voice of discussing the issue in the meeting, telling he verbally urged upon the local civil surgeon to start the clinic and the health department assured them of running the unit as early as possible. Rajnagar Upazila Civil Surgeon Partho Sarothi Datta said: “The health department authorities have already sent letter to the health engineering directorate to hand over the clinic and the activities there will be started after the handover. We are prepared for the start.”
Anisur Rahman, assistant engineer of Health Engineering Directorate of Maulvibazar, said: “The works of the clinic is almost end except the finishing task and the approach road. On contact, the contractor has promised me to hand over the establishment after completing the pending tasks. If the contractor does not finish it within the allotted time, we will finish the rest works by his security money.”
They have already informed the matter to the higher authorities though the project of the community clinic was implemented before his joining, Anisur Rahman went on.