Patients face ordeal in absence of dialysis centre at SDH Kralpora

Kupwara, Mar 7:  After every fifteen days, Mazoor Ahmad of Chowkibal is supposed to take his father to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara for dialysis. He has to book a passenger cab and pay Rs 2000 every time he takes his father for dialysis.

Manzoor, who is a labourer, barely manages his household expenses and arranging two thousand for a cab is like climbing the Himalayas for him. For the last one year, Manzoor is facing the brunt due to lack of a dialysis centre at SDH Kralpora.

Several patients like Manzoor’s father from upper reaches of Kupwara face hardships for lack of a dialysis centre at SDH Kralpora which caters to a huge chunk of population including Keran, Budnamal and other upper reaches.

The residents of the area said that soon after the hospital was shifted to a new building, they were hopeful of getting better health care facilities but nothing like that happened.

“Even the operation theatre at SDH Kralpora has never been put to use, adding to the woes of people of over hundred villages. The hospital also lacks specialised doctors due to which patients have to look for other alternatives. This hospital has never been a priority for the concerned authorities due to which patients are destined to face hardships,” a local told Greater Kashmir.

The residents and members of Civil Society Kupwara have appealed to the Director Health Services Kashmir Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather to establish a dialysis centre at SDH Kralpora so that the hardships being faced by the people may end.