Locals suffer as NTPHC Budnamal operates without doctor

Kupwara, Aug 9: Five years back when Budnamal health centre was upgraded to New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC), the people had high hopes of getting improved health facilities but nothing like that happened. The authorities on the contrary failed to depute a doctor here due to which people continue to suffer and are forced to visit Kupwara by travelling over fifty kilometers for treatment.

“We have now lost the hope of getting better health facilities after knocking at the door of every concerned official. At the time, our health centre was upgraded to NTPHC, we were told that proper staff along with machinery would be installed here but nothing like that happened in the following years. Even the hospital is running in an old damaged school building posing threat to the staff and patients and nothing is being done regarding construction of a new building for the hospital,” Mohammad Maqbool, a local told Greater Kashmir.

“Leave the diagnostic facilities, even the hospital lacks an ambulance which really tells upon the locals. At the time of any medical emergency we are forced to book a private cab and pay over Rs 2000 to shift the patients to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara or District Hospital Handwara,” he added.

“During winters our area remains cut off from district headquarters for several weeks and during the  time  any medical emergency arises we are forced to shoulder the patient on makeshift cot by covering over 10 kilometers to reach Baby Top from where we board vehicles,” said another local.

The residents said that they were unable to figure out why authorities were reluctant to depute doctors here. “We have been moving from pillar to post to get our genuine grievance redressed but to no avail,” they added.

When Greater Kashmir brought this issue into the notice of Chief Medical officer (CMO) Kupwara Dr Mohammad Ramzan, he acknowledged the hardships being faced by the people in absence of a doctor at NTPHC Budnamal. “The post of doctor is vacant at NTPHC Budnamal however other paramedics posted there are rendering their services efficiently,” he said.

Regarding the ambulance he said that NTPHC Budnamal does not possess a driver post. “Once the post is created, anything about ambulance can be said.”

He said that a new building for NTPHC Budnamal has been kept in proposal and in coming time a concrete building would be constructed for the hospital.