Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 12 July 2025
In a decisive move addressing long-standing healthcare infrastructure concerns in Baratang, the Hon’ble Member of Parliament for Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, has called upon the A&N Administration — particularly the Health Department — to halt the proposed renovation of the existing Sub-Centre at Jarawa Creek, Nilambur, and instead initiate the construction of a new facility on the roadside land already earmarked for health services.
The existing Sub-Centre, built in 1988, stands on a steep hill with around 30 steps leading up to it, making it extremely difficult to access — especially for pregnant women, senior citizens, and patients with mobility issues. Despite undergoing three rounds of renovation over the decades, the facility continues to fall short of meeting the community’s healthcare needs due to structural limitations and its inconvenient location.
Mr. Ray pointed out that continuing with further renovation would amount to a misuse of public funds, as it would fail to resolve the core issue of accessibility. “The proposed renovation is not only unjustified but would be a wasteful expenditure,” he stated.
Local villagers, PRI members, and social workers have consistently advocated for relocating the Sub-Centre to a more accessible site. However, no tangible steps have been taken so far. The MP recommended that a new semi-RCC structure be built on the flat, roadside plot already in the Health Department’s possession. This, he said, would ensure inclusive, safer, and more effective healthcare delivery for the region’s rural population.
Mr. Ray further urged the Directorate of Health Services to ensure proper maintenance and functionality of the existing facility in the interim so that essential medical services continue uninterrupted until the new Sub-Centre is constructed.
