In the absence of a functional Primary Health Centre, thousands in Arin and its adjacent villages remain trapped in a web of neglect

Nestled in the foothills of Bandipora, Village Arin is one of the largest and most populated villages in the district. Surrounded by mountains on its outskirts and bordered by several adjacent villages. Arin faces a painful reality ,a population of nearly 18,800 people continues to live without a single functional Primary Health Centre (PHC).

The absence of a basic health facility has pushed residents of Arin and its adjoining habitations — including Shamthan, Dardpora, Sumlar, Ranghoma, Shokbaba, T.A. Shah, and Gori-Hajin into a state of deep medical distress. For them, falling ill is no longer just about sickness, it’s about survival.

The demographics of this region make the crisis alarming. More than half of Arin’s population comprises women, children, and elderly citizens, these groups are most vulnerable and their mortality rate remains high, especially during nights.

For a woman in labour at midnight or an elderly patient suffering a sudden cardiac episode, help is hours away. The nearest medical facility is in Bandipora town, and the journey being long, dark, and often through poorly maintained roads, could prove fatal.

Most families here live below the poverty line, unable to afford private transportation. “At night, even if someone agrees to drive, they demand unaffordable sums,” says Abdul Majeed, a local resident. “Sometimes we lose precious lives waiting for help that never arrives.”

The consequences of this healthcare vacuum are not theoretical, they are tragically real. In October 2022, Muneere Begum, wife of Reyaz Ahmad Gojar from Dardpora, lost her life after getting accidentally electrocuted while washing her kitchen. Her family rushed her towards the district hospital Bandipora, but she could not survive the exhausting journey and died midway.

In another heartbreaking incident, the father of one of my friends, an elderly man, suffered a sudden attack of high blood pressure. With no medical facility nearby, the family took him to a local medical shop, where he was given unprescribed medicines. Sadly, he did not survive, a clear case of medical negligence born out of helplessness.

These are not isolated cases ,they are painful reminders of how distance and delay continue to claim lives that could have been saved with timely medical care. Although Arin has a medical dispensary, its condition offers little comfort. The dispensary functions from a single room, staffed only by an I.S.M (Indian System of Medicine) doctor and a medical compounder.

It operates from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., leaving the village completely uncovered during evenings and nights, when most emergencies occur. The dispensary cannot possibly serve the entire population. Moreover, many residents, losing trust in the Indian System of Medicine, hesitate to seek treatment there, making it ineffective in addressing the larger health crisis.

This limited facility stands as a mere token of healthcare, just a symbolic presence that serves few and saves fewer.

Adding to the crisis, during the current year 2025, several cases of jaundice has been reported in the area, traced to unhygienic practices and lack of awareness. Health experts say that such outbreaks could have been easily prevented if a Primary Health Centre with proper diagnostic and sanitation outreach had existed nearby. The absence of medical supervision has turned minor, preventable illnesses into community-wide threats.

With no doctor or PHC in sight, locals have been forced to seek help from medical shopkeepers, most of whom have no formal medical training. These shopkeepers prescribe medicines for illnesses they cannot diagnose, often relying on guesswork.

While some patients experience temporary relief, the practice has led to misdiagnosis, worsening of conditions, and even deaths. “We know they aren’t doctors,” admits Ghulam Hassan, another resident, “but we have no other choice. When someone is in pain, we cannot wait for miracles.”

This dangerous dependence has turned the villages into an unregulated zone of self-medication, where lives are risked daily because of official neglect. The healthcare struggle in Arin is not new. Residents have repeatedly appealed to authorities to establish a proper medical facility. A few years ago, a temporary health centre was set up in the house of Mr. Abdul Gani Mir. This kind and generous person offered his home to provide medical treatment to the people of his village and nearby areas, bringing them a short period of relief.

However, this hope was short-lived. The centre,was staffed only with a medical assistant and a compounder yet it served many people daily. But within months, it was abruptly shut down, reportedly for “lack of government approval.”

This closure shattered the hopes of the community and contradicted the objectives of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which promises accessible healthcare for rural populations. While other areas benefited from the scheme, Arin and its adjoining hamlets remain forgotten, their pleas echoing unanswered.

Healthcare is the foundation of any thriving community. Without it, education, employment, and social progress all collapse. The continued neglect of Arin’s healthcare is not just an administrative failure, it is a humanitarian crisis.

Mothers continue to give birth without medical supervision. Elderly citizens die of treatable conditions. And children grow up seeing illness as destiny rather than misfortune.

As one local teacher put it, “Our children are taught that health is wealth, but in Arin, that lesson feels like a cruel joke.”

The residents of Arin and its adjoining villages appeal to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir to intervene urgently. The establishment of a fully functional, well-staffed Primary Health Centre in Arin is not merely a demand but a lifeline.

Such a step would not only save lives but also restore faith in public health governance, proving that even the most remote citizens are not forgotten. The people of Arin have waited far too long for justice. Their voices, though soft with despair, still carry a powerful message, a call for compassion and action.

It is time to end the dangerous reliance on untrained practitioners. It is time to ensure that geography no longer decides who lives and who dies. It is time to give Arin and its people what they deserve and the right to live with dignity and health.

In conclusion, the plight of Arin and its neighboring villages serves as a reminder of the critical importance of accessible healthcare. The people of this region deserve better; they should not have to suffer from preventable illnesses simply due to a lack of resources. A functional Primary Health Centre would not only alleviate current suffering but also foster a healthier, more resilient community. With concerted efforts, it is possible to dismantle the web of neglect and pave the way for a brighter future for all residents in the area.

The writer is a concerned citizen and a teacher from Arin Bandipora and can be reached at njfirdous090@gmail.com