Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 10 July 2023
Mr. Vishal Jolly, National Executive Member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Former State President of BJP-ANI, has written a letter to the Chief Secretary of the A&N Administration, Secretary (Health), and Director (Health), urging them to address the urgent need for a gynaecologist and ultrasound technician for Little Andaman Island.
In his letter, Mr. Jolly highlighted the Island’s population of approximately 30,000, which is served by only two Primary Health Centres (PHCs) located in R.K. Pur and Hut Bay. These PHCs, each staffed with two doctors, provide only primary healthcare facilities. Despite having an ultrasound machine at the Hut Bay PHC, the absence of a trained technician renders the machine useless.
Mr. Jolly further emphasised that the lack of a gynaecologist on Little Andaman Island poses significant challenges for pregnant women who require specialised care. Currently, all pregnant women on the Island are referred to G.B. Pant Hospital in Port Blair after reaching seven months of pregnancy, due to the unavailability of gynaecological services and an ultrasound technician at the PHCs on Little Andaman.
Concluding his letter, Mr. Jolly urgently requested the intervention of the authorities to depute a gynaecologist on Little Andaman for at least three days a month. Additionally, he appealed for the permanent deployment of an ultrasound technician to serve the larger interest of the population on Little Andaman Island.
The call for immediate action by Mr. Vishal Jolly underscores the pressing healthcare needs of the Island’s residents, particularly pregnant women, who currently face significant challenges in accessing vital gynaecological services. The intervention and deployment of a gynaecologist and ultrasound technician would greatly alleviate these concerns and ensure that the population of Little Andaman receives the essential healthcare they deserve.