Jaipur, July 3 — A portion of the roof at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district collapsed on Tuesday, forcing healthcare workers to treat patients in the open amid mounting safety concerns.
The incident occurred in Jasrapur village, under the Khetri subdivision, and sent shockwaves through the local community. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, as the room was unoccupied at the time of the collapse.
“The roof caved in with a loud, explosion-like sound. Luckily, no one was inside, or this could have turned into a major tragedy,” said Dr. Anita, the PHC in-charge, speaking to PTI. She added that the building’s deteriorating condition had already been reported to higher authorities.
Officials confirmed that the structure had been declared unsafe for a long time, but continued to function due to the lack of an alternate facility. Health workers are now operating from outside the building, providing essential services in makeshift arrangements.
Both staff and local residents have demanded immediate intervention from the government, either by shifting the PHC to a safer location or initiating urgent repairs.
The incident underscores broader infrastructure issues facing Rajasthan’s public health system. Recently, the state government directed health officials to step up implementation of the Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya (MAA) Yojana and the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) to improve financial health of government hospitals and prevent revenue losses due to insurance claim denials.
Under RGHS, cashless treatment is provided to a wide spectrum of beneficiaries, including state ministers, MLAs, government employees (current and retired), and officers from the All India Services.
Despite such policy initiatives, the incident highlights the urgent need for investment in basic infrastructure to ensure safe and reliable healthcare access, especially in rural areas.
