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A 23-year-old tribal girl has opened the first medical store in Chhattisgarh’s remote Abujmarh forest, a Maoist stronghold, reported Times of India. It’s a boon for the locals who had to travel 70km to find a proper pharmacy in the dense woodland of about 3900 sq km.
Kirta Dopra belongs to the Muria tribe and with the help of the local sarpanch, panchayat secretary and local residents, she was able to set up shop in the middle of the forest, in Orcha at the Narayanpur district. The forest had been declared as a “liberated zone” by the Maoists and had few government facilities. When the Jan Aushadi Kendra in the area was shut down, Kirta started asking the locals what medicines they require so that everything is need is available.
Though the Orcha community health centre is responsible for giving out free medicines, it’s usually not well-stocked. It is difficult to successfully run a government centre in a Maoist area. The chief medical officer of Narayanpur, Dr Anand Ram Gota, applauds the young girl’s initiative.
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