Sixty-four-year outdated Nirapada Samanta has no time to spare as he attends one affected person after one other, at his two-storey clinic — ‘Chandimata Medical Corridor and Chandimata Physician’s Chambers’ — in Mohistikari of Haripal block in Hooghly district. Within the adjoining room, dentist Sanjib Ghosh Mondol attends one of many sufferers, whereas three others wait for his or her flip.
Popularly referred to as ‘Nirapada Daktar’, Samanta is a B. Pharma whereas Mondol, a dentist on the clinic, has studied until Class 10 solely.
Because the docs’ agitation continues within the state and with uncertainty at authorities medical faculties for the final 15 days, the place the outpatient departments stay shut, sufferers have now began reaching out to quacks in rural Bengal. With prices starting from Rs 100-150 per affected person, aside from the price of medicines, the quacks give remedy and medicines and confer with nursing houses those that are severe.
Samanta, who has been attending sufferers for the final 40 years, stated, “I learnt issues by intently monitoring MBBS docs. Earlier, I used to see 20-25 sufferers every day at my clinic. Now, on a regular basis there are 40-45 sufferers. Even the every day home calls have elevated to 4-5 from 2-3.”
His clinic has a small ready room, two session rooms with one mattress and a chair, together with an hooked up pharmacy. “We’re visited by all forms of sufferers and we cost cash for medicines and Rs 100 further. In rural areas we’re those who’re the primary line of remedy,” he stated.
Mondol (68), who was the helper of a dentist in Tarakeshwar, in Hooghly district, now attends sufferers at Chandimata medical corridor and physician’s chamber on Fridays, whereas remainder of the week he’s busy at clinics in Hooghly and neighbouring Bardhaman district. “I could also be a Class 10 move, however have huge expertise. I give all types of dental remedy right here. Sufferers’ influx has elevated just lately and you may see I’ve 4 within the ready,” he stated.
One other common at ‘Nirapada daktar’, is 62-year-old Astu Malik, who says that the latter not solely handled them but in addition paid home visits when in want. “Anandapur well being centre is close to to our village, but it surely has no physician. So, we at all times rely upon Nirapada daktar. Throughout Covid, when virtually all MBBS docs locked themselves inside their home, he handled us. We place confidence in him.”
“At Chandimata clinic, we not solely get physician’s remedy but in addition drugs, at minimal fee,” stated Khatik Malik (65), who got here to get drugs for fever.
A few kilometre away, in Boichipota of Singur block, Bishnupada Bera (54), attends sufferers at his clinic, which has a session room with a mattress. “I’ve over 30 years of expertise. There’s a main well being centre close by, however aside from deliveries nothing a lot occurs there. Individuals come to us,” stated Bera, who’s a BSc move, however claimed he labored as a helper with a physician and honed his abilities there. “The place the place I acquired coaching, the physician taught me like his personal son. I may give injections and saline, carry out ECG, dialysis and so forth, as preliminary remedy,” he added.
“We by no means take any danger. If we expect we will’t deal with a affected person, we refer them to a nursing residence. We prepare to confess them in hospital,” he stated.
Coping with a pores and skin drawback, Robin Paramanik (43), from neighbouring Sastitala village, visited Bera’s clinic. “Price is minimal right here. Additionally, authorities docs are on strike,” he stated.
In Doshani village, a few kilometre away from Boichipota, is the clinic of 52-year-old Manik Pal. “After finishing commencement in 1985, I entered this career. First, I labored at a unique place as an assistant of an MBBS physician and after 10 years, I began my very own chamber. I’ve been giving prescriptions for nearly 30years,” stated Pal, whereas sitting on a wood device, beside a mattress and a rack stacked with a lot of medicines.
“From morning, I begin my chamber at my residence, and attend at the very least 30 sufferers. Then round 11 am, I come right here and see sufferers which once more is at the very least 30. Other than this, there’s a home go to starting from 8-10 on daily basis,” he stated.
Pal usually treats sufferers who complain of chilly allergy, fever and diarrhoea. “However, I additionally deal with dengue and different important illnesses. Throughout Covid, I handled enormous Covid sufferers as nicely,” he stated.
Ready for Manik at his clinic, Nibha Manna (48), stated, “My proper ankle was damaged. After remedy, my foot is swollen. Manik ‘daktar’ is giving me drugs to deal with irritation and I’m doing nicely now.”
Biswajit Sasmal, secretary of Rural Medication Practitioner Affiliation (native affiliation) stated, “We used to offer 24X7 companies the entire yr. Each time there’s a disaster, we at all times attempt to fill in. It’s not new. We handled sufferers even throughout Covid. We additionally supplied remedy to sufferers in 2019, when junior docs went on a one month strike.”
Sasmal identified that there are virtually two lakh rural drugs practitioners in West Bengal. “Out of which greater than 20,000 docs are members of our organisation and we have already got given a round that, throughout a disaster, we now have and are investing extra time into our career.”
