Bandipora Admin denies Healthcare services at doorstep to Surinder village

Abdul Basit

Bandipora, Jan 27: The newly constructed Primary Health Centre in remote Surinder village is yet to be handed over to the Department of Health thus denying the proper healthcare to the people of this village.

 Surinder village is a remote village- 20 km away from Bandipora district headquarters having a population of about 1200 souls but is without health center till date.

 Locals said though a building for housing a Primary Health Centre was constructed and completed in 2017 but till date the building has not been handed over to the Department of Health so that staff can be deputed for providing basic healthcare services to the people of this village.

   The village remains covered in snow for months and there is no proper transportation in the area. The villagers have to travel 7 kilometers on foot to visit the nearest Hospital for even minor ailments.

    The building is currently being used by a private pharmacist who has established a private healthcare centre much to the relief of the people as he provides medicines for minor ailments and provides first aid. The pharmacist uses only one room and the rest of the rooms are left to ruin.

    "Years ago, a team from the health department came here and they assured us that it would start functioning soon. We were happy but years passed and promises were never fulfilled," said a local.

     If someone gets sick late at night, we have to travel on foot or wait until morning as there is no transport available here at night,” said another local.

  "We have made several requests to the concerned authorities but no one has responded to our requests," the village Sarpanch Mohammad Shafi said. Not everyone here can afford daily travel to other places.

 Block Medical Officer Bandipora Dr Masrat Iqbal said that there is some work left in the building which will be completed in next 3 months and after that health center will be functional.