Provide staff or close hospital: Basharat Bukhari to administration

Srinagar, Aug 04: Former minister Syed Basharat Bukhari has said that severe dearth of manpower has compromised patient care at sub- district hospital Kreeri and reflects dereliction of duty on part of the government towards maintaining quality healthcare facilities in J&K.

In a statement, Bukhari said the government’s failure to address crippling manpower shortage at SDH Kreeri is a stark reminder of the failure of the J&K’s unelected government in managing the healthcare sector that is virtually on deathbed. “It is ironic that six posts of medicos are lying vacant in the institution catering to thousands of people in Kreeri and adjoining villages. Apart from these sanctioned posts, the post of orthopedic consultant is lying vacant. It is matter of concern that an ophthalmologist posted in SDH Kreeri was transferred to Bandipora but no replacement has been made in lieu of him, till date.Morever, one more consultant anaesthesiologist is attached with Sopore hospital," he said.

He said the dearth of manpower has created a crisis of sorts in the hospital and taken a toll on the existing staff who are struggling to maintain quality patient care due to workload.

Bukhari said the government should immediately fill these critical vacancies to ensure quality patient care at the hospital. “If the government is unable to fill these vacant posts, then they should admit their helplessness and close the hospital rather than operate a facility that is unable to provide quality healthcare,” he said.