The Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong Ri War have written to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to request that the Padu State Dispensary in Amlarem Sub-Division be upgraded to a primary health centre (PHC).
The dispensary was founded in 1975 and serves 11 villages in the area and has outpatient facilities and provision to dispense first aid and care for minor emergencies.
The remoteness of the villages means that residents face grave difficulties in travelling to health centres for emergencies that the dispensary cannot cater for, the letter said. Two other villages would also like to come under the Padu facility if it is upgraded to a PHC as it would be closer to them than their existing healthcare institute.
The nearest facility with better healthcare provision is Jarain PHC, which is 16 kilometres away. Nongtalang Community Health Centre (CHC) is 22km away, while Jowai Civil Hospital is 47km from Padu.
Meanwhile, the traditional heads also reiterated its opposition to the threat to the existing Dawki PHC in Bakur under plans to widen the Shillong-Dawki road along National Highway 40.
Plans for the widening will take the road through the PHC and, though the body is happy with the road widening project, it wants the road plans to be realigned to take it away from the PHC, which serves 27 villages along the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border.
