KUPWARA DIARY

Single doctor posted at PHC Teetwal, staff shortage hits patient care
The residents of Teetwal in border town Karnah of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have expressed strong resentment against authorities for failing to ensure better health care at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Teetwal thereby putting residents to a lot of inconveniences. The residents said that due to lack of proper staff, they were suffering badly, but authorities were doing nothing to augment the staff here.

The residents said that this hospital caters to a huge chunk of population but it lacks basic amenities much to the disappointment of locals of over two dozen villages. Since this hospital happens to be close to Line of Control (LoC) so security forces also come here for treatment but due to lack of staff and best diagnostic facilities they don’t get proper treatment.

“Although a digital X-ray plant was available in the hospital but due to non-availability of X-ray technician it has never been put to use. Similarly due to non-availability of lab technician people as well as security forces are forced to visit Sub District Hospital (SDH) Karnah for minor examinations,” Sarpanch Teetwal Abdul Rasheed Khokher, told Greater Kashmir.

“Although the available staff has been rendering services efficiently, they are overburdened due to shortage of staff,” he added.
The residents said that although an ambulance was available here but that was shifted to SDH Karnah three years ago, since then it has not been sent back due to which patients suffer a lot whenever they are referred to SDH Karnah.

“Since this area happens to be in close proximity to the Line of Control (LoC) more importantly most of the people belong to the labour class so availability of an ambulance was must here but don’t know why authorities are adamant to make us suffer,” another local said.

“Pregnancy care has also been hit badly due to non-availability of a specialized gynecologists here with the result women of the area face severe hardships and they are forced to visit Sub District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara for treatment,” he added.

They also said that a dental surgeon should be appointed here so that people may not suffer and may get treatment at their doorsteps.

Residents said that they have several times brought these grievances into the notice of concerned officials but nothing concrete has been done in this regard so far.

Sochalyari village craves for better health facilities

The residents of Sochalyari village in Ramhall area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district are craving for better health facilities so that the hardships being faced by them may end.

The residents said that although a health centre was present in the village but lack of staff and other facilities was haunting them. They said that only a single employee was posted here thus hampering the smooth functioning of the centre.

They said that since the health centre was functioning without a doctor, so for a small ailment they were forced to visit PHC Tarathpora by travelling over ten kilometers. The residents also alleged that the health centre was lacking free medicines.

The residents have sought immediate intervention of Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Ayushi Sudan and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kupwara Dr Mohammad Ramzan in this regard so that the hardships being faced by them in absence of better health facilities may end.

16 years on, GHS Gundchabotra building awaits completion

Authorities in Gundchabotra village of Kralgund area have miserably failed to complete construction of a ten room double story building for Gundchabotra High School even after the passage of more than sixteen years. The residents said that the construction work on the ten room double story building was started with an aim to provide substantial accommodation to the students but the education department has miserably failed to achieve the task.

“The double story building has been left without a slab on the second floor. It has developed cracks and is in dilapidated condition but the department seems unmoved,” said a local youth.

“I believe it is a huge loss to the public exchequer to not complete the building when almost ninety percent of work stands completed. We are unable to comprehend why the government failed to complete this building after spending over thirty lakh rupees on the building,” he added.

“With the completion of this building the accommodation problem for students would certainly get resolved. The chances seem grim as we have taken up this issue with the education department numerous times,” another local said.

The residents have sought immediate intervention of Director School Education Kashmir in this regard so that students of over thirty villages may get substantial accommodation.