Kukroosa’s NTPHC struggles to serve 30,000 residents

Kupwara, Oct 13: The residents of Kukroosa in the Ramhal area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have expressed resentment against the authorities for failing to ensure better healthcare facilities at the New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) Kukroosa.

The residents said that due to lack of proper staff, they were suffering but authorities were doing nothing to augment the staff.

They said only one doctor was performing duties at NTPHC Kukroosa, which, according to them, was not substantial for a population of over 30,000.

They demanded that the vacant posts be filled at the earliest.

The residents said that the hospital caters to a huge chunk of the population but still lacks basic amenities, much to the disappointment of locals of over two dozen villages including Kukroosa, Lilam, Zafarkhani, Waisa Kawnar, Khanbal, Sunmulla, Kalipora, Chirpawa, and Sirajpora.

The residents said that the hospital was operating without a dental surgeon.

“A special ward with a dental chair and other required infrastructure is of no use without a dental surgeon,” Aijaz Manzar, a local said.

The residents said that due to the lack of a lab technician, diagnostic facilities were not being carried out at the health centre, forcing patients to look for other alternatives.

“Pregnancy care has also been hit due to the non-availability of a gynaecologist and expecting women are forced to look for alternatives,” they said.

The residents sought immediate intervention from Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara, Ayushi Sudan in this regard and urged her to end their hardships.