In the entire Chakma Autonomous District Council, created under 6th schedule to the Constitution of India in 1972, there is only one Community Health Centre located at headquarter Kamala Nagar and one defunct PHC at Borapansury, apart from a number of health sub centres to cater to a population of over 40,000.

A villager from Borapansury told this citizen journalist that the first PHC building was constructed two decades ago, but the PHC was never operationalized. Instead of being a health centre, it was used as shelter by cows and other animals until it dilapidated. A new building was constructed sometime in 2010. Staff quarters have been built alongside the PHC building. Yet, no doctor or staff has been posted as of date. There is also no medicine.

Recently, Mizoram’s Minister of Health and Family Welfare Lalrinliana Sailo confirmed in the Mizoram Assembly House that no doctor is posted at Borapansury Primary Health Centre. However, he failed to mention that just an empty building is continuing to exist as Primary Health Centre on official papers.

“In the name of Primary Health Centre, all we have is an empty building,” lamented a local while speaking to this citizen journalist on the phone.

Many people, mostly the poorest, die in this area of CADC each year due to lack of basic healthcare facilities.

Now, a social organization Mizoram Chakma Development Forum (MCDF) has said, it will launch a campaign to make the Borapansury PHC functional as soon as possible. On its Facebook page, it has already announced, “MCDF will adopt a well-devised strategy to make the PHC functioning with staff, doctors and medicines and other facilities which is extremely important for the poor people in the area.”