Staff shortage, lack of space hits functioning of Health & Wellness Centre in Karnah area

Kupwara, Dec 14: The residents of Chamkote in border town Karnah of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have expressed resentment against authorities for failing to house a Health and Wellness Centre located in the area in a government accommodation.

The residents said that earlier the centre was functioning in a dilapidated building and a few years back authorities shifted the centre to the house of a local resident. They said that the centre was functioning only in a few rooms with one employee posted here which tells upon the smooth functioning of the centre.

The residents said that staff shortage has always been a concern for them but authorities never took their genuine concern seriously. “At present only one FMPHW employee is posted at Health and Wellness centre Chamkote which doesn’t suffice the need of a huge chunk of population,” they added.

Locals said that they have time and again approached authorities for augmentation of staff here but after the passage of several years nothing has been done in this regard.

They appealed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to upgrade their health centre to the status of New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) so that they will get proper health care.

When Greater Kashmir brought this issue into the notice of Block Medical Officer (BMO) Karnah Dr Farooq Ahmad Qureshi, he said that the health department has taken up the matter with revenue department for allotting them state land for construction of a separate building for Health and Wellness Centre Chamkote. “Once the land is allotted we will go for construction of the building,” he said.

Regarding upgradation, he said that the higher officials can take any call regarding that.