The gut-wrenching story of a deaf-mute woman from Palghar who died after being made to run from one hospital to another for a C-section delivery last week was among a handful of tales that trickle out of the tribal belt. But for doctors posted in the district, poor infrastructure, inadequate manpower, snakes and government apathy are a way of life. Doctors now dread the visit by a special team that will assess fund utilisation. The medical fraternity in Palghar fears a crackdown as a 15-member team, appointed by Vidhan Sabha, is on a three-day inspection to cross-check the use of government funds.

mid-day spoke to dozens of medical officers of Primary Health Centres (PHCs). “But what we can do if the funds do not reach us. Now, the committee will submit their report to the government. Later, MOs [medical officers] will be called to Mantralaya to explain. This is nothing but harassment. On one end, you are not providing us with basic requirement yet you expect us to perform to match world-class facilities,” said a medical officer of a Palghar PHC.