At the Kandharapur Primary Health Centre (PHC) in the Azamgarh district of eastern Uttar Pradesh, 53-year-old “ward boy” Jharkhande Yadav is the only person present in a room furnished with a table, chair, three cupboards, and old furniture stacked against the walls. The neighboring room lacks doors or windows, with a rope used to prevent cattle from entering, yet it is filled with cow dung. Another building, 500 meters away and also part of the PHC, lies abandoned, with liquor bottles scattered around and plants growing inside.
Kandharapur, with a population of around 3,000 people, relies solely on the PHC for government healthcare. This PHC is one of 218 in 52 districts of Uttar Pradesh that remain incomplete, some dating back to 2005 according to information obtained under the Right to Information Act. The Kandharapur PHC is under scrutiny for suspected financial irregularities, as per health department records.
During a visit to the PHC on September 28, Yadav mentioned that no patients had arrived since morning, as the pharmacist and another staff member had taken the day off for a festival. The register showed that 19 patients had visited the previous day and were treated in the single room.
Government regulations stipulate that a PHC should have 15 staff members. Locals report that the two structures lacking doors and windows have been abandoned for years.
Lalman Yadav, a nearby autorickshaw driver, commented, “This PHC is suitable for basic issues like colds and fevers. For serious illnesses, we take patients to the Azamgarh district hospital, about 10 km away.”
In another instance, a PHC in Azamgarh’s Kaptanganj area is being utilized as temporary housing by personnel from the local police station. The 15-room building has motorcycles parked at the entrance, with police officers explaining that they use it due to the absence of designated barracks. The two buildings are furnished with cots, table fans, clotheslines, and other belongings.
A police personnel shared, “I was stationed here a couple of years ago, and since then, I have been residing here. No one from the Health Department visits, and we use it as barracks.”
Approximately 40 policemen reside in the two PHC buildings, while another structure lies abandoned with plants growing inside. Station officer Kaptanganj, Vijay Prakash Maurya, expressed, “I believe people have been residing in the Health Department building for a while as there was no official residence available and the buildings were vacant.”
Azamgarh ASP (City) Shailendra Lal denied claims of policemen residing in the PHC building, stating that the information was inaccurate. Azamgarh SSP Anurag Arya could not be reached for comment.
Dr. Indra Narayan Tiwari, Azamgarh Chief Medical Officer, revealed that the PHCs in Kandharapur and Kaptanganj have not yet been handed over to the Health Department. He mentioned that both are under investigation by the SIT, with instructions given by the government to complete construction and hand them over to the Health Department for proper management.
Narayan Singh, a resident from Bijnore’s Sheikhpura, expressed frustration over the delayed opening of the local PHC, noting the lack of medical facilities and personnel. He emphasized the importance of the PHC for emergencies in the absence of nearby healthcare options.
The construction of the PHC in Bijnore’s Sheikhpura is ongoing, with two residences and a pump house still being built. The health department noted the need for replacement of doors, repair of the approach road, and fixing the broken floor of the overhead tank.
Similar issues were observed at the PHC in Bhikkawala, prompting concerns among local residents who have been waiting for essential healthcare services.
Efforts are underway to address the challenges faced by these under-construction PHCs, with the aim of providing adequate healthcare facilities to the communities they serve.
