Ganderbal: The health facilities in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district are facing an acute shortage of staff including doctors while the lack of infrastructure has affected patient care badly, forcing the patients to visit hospitals in Srinagar for treatment.
Sources said that due to the lack of infrastructure, the referrals to the hospitals in Srinagar city have increased.
A reliable source said that Primary Health Center (PHC) Hariganiwan besides lacking many basic facilities due to official apathy, the facility also has a dearth of doctors.
The patients and attendants said that on one hand, the authorities claim to have upgraded PHC Hariganiwan, but on the other hand, the staff strength continues to remain unchanged.
There is a shortage of Gynecologists, staff nurses, and other para-medical staff, they said.
Due to a lack of staff particularly in night hours, patients from far-flung areas like Mammer, Kachpathri, Gichkhoad, Ganiwan, Surfraw and adjacent areas are being referred to Srinagar hospitals for treatment even for minor ailments.
The locals said that the PHC Gund is also facing similar issues. Though the PHC harbours machinery worth lacks, but of no use, because there is no one to operate them, the residents lamented.
The shortage of paramedical staff causes great inconvenience to the patients, they said, adding that the PHC lacks Orthopaedics, Anaesthetists, Paediatrician, Ophthalmology, and Surgeon specialist.
Despite spending a lack of rupees for the establishment of an Operation Theatre in PHC Gund, the facility lacks the technician to operate the machinery of the Theatre, they said.
“There is no MRI facility, Digital X ray, a blood bank in the hospitals even,” said the attendants.
Sources said that the PHCs are witnessing at least 200-300 patients in its Outpatient Department (OPD) on an average day. However, the absence of staff, doctors, or basic facilities is pushing them to the wall.
According to the sources, a number of posts are lying vacant at Trauma Hospital Gund and PHC Hariganiwan. “We many times informed the concerned department about the vacancies, but all in vain,” they said.
Speaking to KNO, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Ganderbal, Dr Afroza Shah said they had informed the higher authorities about the vacant post at PHC Hariganiwan and soon the department will fill these posts.
She further said that the Operation Theatre established at PHC Gund will be made functional soon. (KNO)
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