Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 20: A Public Health Centre (PHC) at Noorpora village of South Kashmir’s Tral area in Pulwama district is in shambles due to non-availability of doctors and unsafe building.
Local residents said the PHC was established in 1978 and was functioning smoothly till 2010. “Afterwards, the Government transferred the doctor who was posted at PHC and as a result, the patients started facing problems,” said Abdul Aziz of Noorpora.
He said since then only a single doctor is visible twice a week. “Most of the times, even that particular doctor doesn’t report,” he said, adding: “There isn’t even a lady doctor.” There are only 2 beds available in the PHC and Noorpora village comprises of 1200 households.
Not only the non-availability of doctors is inconvenient for the patients, but the building of the PHC is also unsafe and poses a threat to human lives. The PHC is located on first floor of a two story wooden building and locals said they, sometimes, are reluctant to enter the health centre.
Even as another building is under construction but that is yet to complete. Locals said they want quick completion of the building. They further said that they “donated” their own land for the new building of PHC worth Rs 1.4 crores. “Now, all we want is the completion of the building and its smooth functioning,” they said.
Admitting that there is dearth of doctors, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Pulwama, Dr Fayaz, expressed helplessness over the issue. “There is shortage and it is not only here but across the State,” he told Excelsior.
On being asked about under construction building, he said that the Minister of Health recently assured them that the new building would be completed by November this year.
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