NTPHC Nowgam lacks staff, diagnostic facilities, people suffer

Kupwara, Oct 28: Residents of Nowgam and adjacent villages in Mawer area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have expressed strong resentment against authorities for lack of adequate staff and basic diagnostic facilities at New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) Nowgam with the result people living here are suffering at large.

Residents said that lack of staff and other facilities were giving tough times to inhabitants of over dozen villages. They said that the health centre was inadequately staffed due to which patient care had been badly hit. They said that of four allotted posts of doctors only one ISM doctor was occupied while the remaining three have been vacant since many years due to reasons best known to the authorities.

The residents said that since they belong to heavy snow bound areas and non availability of a gynecologist at NTPHC Nowgam was really telling upon the pregnancy care here.

They said that in absence of pregnancy care, female patients were compelled to visit Handwara for treatment.

"Non availability of a gynecologist here has always been a setback for all of us because ninty percent population here belong to labour class which can't afford private vehicles to reach Handwara," said a local.

Residents also complained about lack of dental surgeon here. They said that a dental surgeon used to be here but after his transfer few years back, his replacement is yet to be made. Residents complained that in absence of X-ray and basic diagnostic testing facilities, patients are forced to visit Handwara which is telling them economically.

An official at NTPHC Nowgam on the basis of anonymity said that lack of basic diagnostic facilities were really giving tough time to doctors in diagnosing ailments of patients. Residents also said that although the hospital was recently shifted to newly constructed building but almost seventy four lakh rupees are yet to be released in favour of the contractor.

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. They have sought immediate intervention of MLA Langate Shiekh Khursheed in this regard so that their genuine grievances are redressed.