Hundreds of people of Uttarakhand have commenced a foot march from Chokhutia, Kumaon to Dehradun demanding improvement in medical services, renovating hospitals and providing them with good number of doctors, surgeons and medication including the latest medical equipments in Chokhutia hospital under the campaign named Operation Health Choukhutia. Now, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal,has also extended its full support to this movement with Ashish Negi, the leader of its youth wing already marching on foot from Kumaon to the state capital in support of this demand. Several youths, students, wimen and men have joined this march to gherao the CM ‘s residence and present him the memorandum in this regard. Several social activists had earlier undertaken hunger strikes in support of this demand and the police tried hard to break the hunger strike of several activists. The movement for better and qualitative health services in Uttarakhand is gaining momentum and the senior doctors were sent to appease the movement leaders but all in vain. In Uttarakhand the deteriorating health services and the bad conditions of hospitals at the decentralised district and block levels, n if any are in sorry state of affairs with doctors absent most of the time, the paramedical staff not in sufficient numbers, non availability of medical equipments, machines like X Ray and Ultrasound and if available not in rectified condition. There is also shortage of medication etc. There have been hundreds of cases of patients dying in the hospital for lack of adequate treatment, delays in treatment and non availability of doctors and surgeons etc. Several pregnant women had died in health centers, maternity homes or on the way in Ambulances for want of timely and quality medical treatment including in view of the absence of doctors.
