Shortage of doctors, paramedic staff hits patient care in Kupwara

Baramulla, Nov 21: North Kashmir’s Kupwara district is grappling with a severe healthcare crisis as far-flung areas, including Machill and Keran, face an acute shortage of doctors and paramedical staff.

The dire situation is exacerbated during the winter months when heavy snowfall cuts off these remote regions, rendering them inaccessible and compounding the healthcare challenges.

An official said that the dearth of medical professionals in the district has left the local healthcare infrastructure strained and ill-equipped to cater to the medical needs of the residents.

“With roads blocked due to snowfall, accessing healthcare becomes a daunting task for the inhabitants of these isolated areas during snowfall,” the official said.

The concern over vacant medical positions has been raised as winter tightens its grip on the region, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.

Residents of Keran, Machil, Tangdhar, Trehgam, Kralpora, Zachaldaram, and Kalaroos have been vocal about their demand for specialised doctors, especially during the winter months when their communities are effectively cut off from the district headquarters.

According to the official data, of the approximately 500 sanctioned posts of doctors in the district, over 150 positions have remained unfilled for years, exacerbating the already dire healthcare situation.

Local healthcare centres and hospitals in these far-flung areas are grappling with staff shortages, making it challenging to handle even basic medical cases.

“Patients are often left with no choice but to embark on long and treacherous journeys to access essential medical care,” the official said.

He said that the lack of basic healthcare facilities and specialist doctors in these remote regions underscores the urgent need for government attention and intervention.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kupwara, Dr Ramzan acknowledged the shortage of staff in various blocks of the district, assuring that the government was actively working on plans to address the problem.

“We have a dearth of staff in various blocks, but the government is at it,” he said.

According to locals, the Health Department should act swiftly and effective measures should be taken to ensure that the residents of Kupwara, even in the farthest corners, receive better healthcare facilities.

“The winter has already approached and given the present status of the healthcare system in the district, the healthcare crisis will aggravate in the coming days and months,” the locals said.

The situation in the main town area is no different from the snowbound areas of the district.

The main healthcare institutes in the town are facing an acute dearth of staff.

The Sub District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara and other health blocks in plain areas are also facing an acute shortage of staff.