Keran residents demand filling vacant gynaecologist post at NTPHC

Kupwara, Sep 28: The residents of snowbound Keran area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district have demanded posting of a gynaecologist at New Type Primary Health Centre so that the hardships being faced by pregnant women may end.

The residents said that they are subjected to severe hardships due to unavailability of a gynaecologist in the area with the result they are forced to visit Kupwara by covering more than sixty kilometres.

"During heavy snowfall, Keran remains cutoff from district headquarters for several days with the result pregnant women face most of the brunt because traffic on Kupwara-Keran road remains suspended for several days. Last year several pregnant women had to airlift from Keran after they developed complications. In fact a woman delivered baby after she was admitted at NTPHC Keran when Keran Kupwara-Keran road was blocked due to heavy snowfall. After she developed labour pain, a team of gynaecologists in Kupwara guided doctors posted at NTPHC Keran via WhatsApp call and luckily the delivery was a successful one," former BDC Keran, Mohammad Syed told Greater Kashmir.

We have moved from piller to post to get our genuine demand fulfilled but nothing has been done so far on this regard. "In fact we requested concerned authorities numerous times to depute a gynaecologist atleast twice a week but here still our genuine demand was not fulfilled. We are fed up now and have lost hope of seeing a gynaecologist at our hospital," said another local. The residents have sought immediate intervention of Health Minister Sakina Itoo in this regard so that the hardships being faced by people may end.