Absence of ophthalmologist at CHC Hajin hits healthcare

Bandipora, June 23: The residents of Hajin town and its peripheral villagers are suffering in the absence of an ophthalmologist at the community health centre (CHC) Hajin in the Sumbal subdivision of north Kashmir's Bandipora district.

The locals complained to Greater Kashmir that the post of an ophthalmologist was vacant for a year after a doctor retired. However, the post has been lying vacant since then.

"The post has been lying vacant for a year and no substitute has been created," Shabir Ahmad, a local said.

The villagers said although an alternative arrangement for an eye technician was made some time ago the original post of the doctor remains vacant.

Moreover, the female "technician on arrangement basis hasn't shown up for nearly three months", locals said.

The locals said the absence of an ophthalmologist was making the people, especially the lower middle class and those having meagre avenues "suffer a great deal."

"The majority of the population from the surrounding villages has to seek treatment at Sumbal or a hospital outside the district," Ahmad said, adding that "our area is large."

The locals said the concerned authorities were "least bothered" and no one was paying "any heed to our repeated requests while the room remains padlocked."

BMO Hajin Dr Idrees Ahmad while talking to Greater Kashmir admitted that the post of an ophthalmologist was vacant for "almost a year."

He said they have communicated with the higher authorities about the issue but "nothing has happened yet in this regard."