Upgradation of Machipora Health Centre in Handwara fails to take off

Kupwara, Feb 7: The residents of Machipora and adjacent villages in north Kashmir’s Handwara Sub District have said that although the Health Sub Centre located at Machipora was upgraded to New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) few years ago but that decision has remained confined to papers only, the  locals added.

The residents said that in 2018, authorities upgraded Machipora Sub Centre to the next level but no concrete steps were taken with regard to implementing the decision on ground.

“After the announcement, we were told that a separate double-storey building would be constructed, moreover staff would also be augmented but nothing has been done so far in this regard,” Ashiq Ahmad, a local youth told Greater Kashmir.

He said that the present building of the health centre was in dilapidated condition, moreover only one employee was posted here which does not fulfil the purpose.

The residents said that not a single doctor was posted here even after the health centre was upgraded to NTPHC. They said that for only a few days a week, a doctor would show up at the health centre but for the last two months the doctor is nowhere in sight due to reasons best known to authorities.

When Greater Kashmir brought this issue into the notice of Block Medical Officer (BMO) Handwara Dr Mohammad Yousuf, he said that the doctor posted at Machipora has availed two months leave. He said within a couple of days, the doctor would join back her duties. He acknowledged the hardships being faced by the common people due to non-availability of a doctor.