Upper Qaziabad residents protest against ‘lack of health care facilities’

Kupwara, Jan 9: The residents of Upper Qaziabad Thursday held a protest against authorities “for failing to ensure proper health care facilities” at New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) resulting in enduring hardships to the residents of over twenty six villages.

The protesters said that the health centre was inadequately staffed due to which patient care has been badly hit at the hospital. They blamed concerned authorities for their insensitive attitude towards the centre and alleged that the health centre lacks the entire basic infrastructure required for its smooth functioning.They said that recently four paramedical staffers have attained superannuation here, with the result functioning of this hospital has been badly affected, causing immense hardships for a huge chunk of population.

“Due to lack of proper health facilities and dearth of staff, people prefer to move to Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara or Baramulla which tells upon the inhabitants economically because majority of us belong to the labour class,” said a protestor. The protesters said that although they have been pressing since many years for specialized doctors including gynecologist but to no avail. They said that due to lack of a gynecologist at NTPHC Ashpora pregnancy care was badly affected.  Protesters also complained about the non availability of ambulance due to which they were facing hardships.

Residents have requested concerned authorities and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to look into the matter personally and redress their grievances, so that people may feel a sigh of relief.  Later Tehsildar Kralgund and In charge Block Medical Officer Langate arrived at Ashpora and assured protesters that their genuine demands would be redressed soon, following which protesters dispersed peacefully.