Patient care suffers at Bandipora’s PHC; 16 doctors, paramedics absent from duty, Video went viral

 

Suhail Rather

 

Bandipora, 09 March: The patient care at the Public Health Centre (PHC) in Chuntimullah village of north Kashmir's Bandipora district, which caters to around 10,000 people, is suffering due to lack of doctors and paramedical staff.

 

Besides Chuntimullah hamlet, 11 kms from district headquarters, surrounding villages of Sumlar, Arin, Surinder and Sumlar Gujjar Patti that depend on this PHC have been left in dire straits, forcing the inhabitants to commute several kilometers to seek medical aid.

 

"It has been almost many days and we haven't seen a doctor at the PHC," Irshad Ahmad Lone, a local said.

 

Villagers said that as per viral video, "Despite having all the machinery like X-ray, USG and laboratory for conducting tests, the facility is useless in absence of doctors and paramedical staff."

 

He said people have to take pregnant women on stretchers or cots in case of emergencies, walking several kilometers.

 

They alleged that doctors and staff have many excuses to skip their duties.

 

Forced to take extreme majors, Lone said they indulge in self-medication purchasing drugs from a local pharmacist.

 

Locals said that there were over 17 employees posted at the hospital but only one was showing up on 7th of March showing the video which went viral on social media networking sites.

 

They said that they had many a time apprised officials including the chief medical officer about the issue and alleged that no one had taken took their pleas seriously.

 

Block Medical Officer (BMO) Bandipora, Dr Masarat Iqbal didn't respond despite repeated phone calls.