Despite Hospital, 30 Villages In Jharkhand’s Manatu Lack Basic Health Services
Residents of over 30 villages in Dumri Chak and Sildiliya of Manatu, Palamu in Jharkhand travel 30 to 45 kilometres for medical treatment.
Published : October 11, 2025 at 5:50 PM IST
By Neeraj Kumar
Palamu: The Jharkhand Government claims health services are being strengthened, with crores spent on improvements. Yet, the severe struggle for basic medical care in places like Dumri Chak and Sildiliya, Manatu block, Palamu district, exposes a sharp contrast between official assurances and villagers’ realities. Around 30 villages in this area face severe hardships accessing medical care.
In Dumri Chak and Sildiliya of Manatu, residents of over 30 villages travel 30 to 45 kilometres for medical treatment. The health department built centres here and appointed Community Health Officers (CHOs), but these workers rarely visit. In the Manatu block headquarters, only Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) manage healthcare.
Villagers Travel Through Dense Forests And Hilly Paths for Treatment
Residents of Manatu, Dumri Chak, Rangeiya, and Sildiliya cross dense, hilly terrain, often travelling more than 30 km, to reach medical care. Most go to Panki due to the limited staff and facilities at Manatu’s Community Health Centre.
Arun Kumar, a resident of Mitar village, said, “There are no facilities in Manatu, so we have to go to Panki. The road is in terrible condition. If someone is seriously ill, we have to search for a vehicle ourselves.”
ANMs mainly handle deliveries. Villagers from Mitar in Dumri Panchayat travel 25 km to Manatu and 40 km to Panki. People from the Rangeiya and Chak panchayats travel to Bihar for treatment.
“Things have been the same since I was born. Earlier, we used to carry patients on palanquins, then came the bullock carts. Now, a few vehicles are available, which people hire to reach hospitals. If treatment facilities were available in the area, we wouldn’t have to suffer like this. The roads are muddy and risky. Health workers visit once a week or month, give fever tablets, and leave,” Sudhu Saw, a resident of Sohe village, said.
Naxal-Affected Area: Villagers Suffer Most During Night Emergencies
These villages are highly Naxal-affected. Although one can see police camps, health workers are not visible. When someone falls ill at night, families often travel through forests to reach a hospital because there is no public transport. The poor have no choice but to wait until morning to seek treatment.
This region is known for illegal opium cultivation. In the past year, police and Naxals clashed six times. Naxals blew up health centres in Chak and Mitar villages over a decade ago. The ruins still stand.
Case Study 1
About 10 days ago, a woman from Adoria village in Chak went into labour but couldn’t reach the hospital in time as no facility was available nearby. Her family took her to Imamganj in Gaya, Bihar, where she gave birth to twins, but unfortunately died soon after.
Case Study 2
On September 24, Champa Devi from Jaspur in Manatu went to Manatu Health Centre during labour pains. No doctor was present. An ANM delivered the baby, but Champa Devi died. Her family had travelled 26 km through forest paths to get there.
Case Study 3
In September, Balram Singh from Dumri Panchayat died from a minor illness. He had a fever and was treated by a quack doctor. Because he did not receive proper medical care, he died.
Even Cold And Fever Go Untreated — Never An Election Issue
Villagers often go without basic treatment for a cold or fever at government facilities. ANMs visit only one day a week. Locals turn to untrained healers, who offer only basic medicines. Minor illnesses often worsen due to inadequate medical attention.
Villagers note that election discussions focus on Naxalism, opium, and roads, but ignore the lack of health services—a core issue highlighted by their everyday struggles, contradicting official claims of improvement.
According to Madan Kumar Suman, Block Development Officer, Manatu, he said, “We have received complaints from villagers. The matter will be discussed with medical officers. Efforts are being made to improve health facilities in the region.”
Anil Kumar Srivastava, Civil Surgeon, said, "Health services are available to some extent in both remote and urban areas. Villagers are encouraged to seek treatment wherever it is accessible. We are making efforts to strengthen healthcare facilities further. If shortcomings are reported, we will investigate and take appropriate action."
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