Danishwar Hameed
The residents of Waltangoo and adjoining villages of Kund area in south Kashmiri’s Kulgam district on Saturday complained about inadequate healthcare and lack of basic diagnostic facilities at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Waltangoo Kund.
The residents said that the health centre was inadequately staffed due to which patient care had been badly hit.
They blamed the concerned authorities for their ‘insensitive attitude’ and alleged that the health center lacks the basic infrastructure required for its smooth functioning.
The residents also said that only a few paramedics and a few doctors were posted here which was telling upon the smooth functioning of the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Waltangoo established in 1961.
A local resident Showkat Ahmad said that the PHC centre was of no use because of a lack of facilities and a dearth of staff which leaves residents to suffer.
He also said that a handful of doctors and staff members were not sufficient for over 15 villages of Waltangoo Kund. “I am unable to figure out how several paramedics and a doctor are drawing a salary from this center despite managing to attach themselves to different health centers,” Showkat alleged. “The authorities are doing nothing to make them held accountable.”
Residents alleged that in the absence of X-ray and diagnostic testing facilities here, patients prefer to visit the District Hospital Kulgam or Qazigund.
“Due to the non-availability of a gynecologist, pregnancy care is also hit badly and women of the area face severe hardships,” said another local Mohd Yousuf
The residents also complained about the non-availability of a dental surgeon and paramedical staff.
The dental surgeon posted here but he was attached in another place, for many years and his replacement had not been sent.
Primarily, the PHC was allotted with an ambulance but later after a couple of years that also was taken away, another PHC hospital ” Locals said that the residents are facing immense hardships due to the lack of basic facilities in the PHC waltangoo.
“Deputing a sole doctor in the PHC is not enough to tackle the rush from villages. Thus more doctors should be deputed here so that the residents here could heave a sigh of relief,” another resident said. adding that people in the area are aware that the PHC doesn’t have proper facilities and therefore the patients avoid visiting the PHC.
As per residents, a number of posts are lying vacant in PHC including a pharmacist, lab technician, paramedical staff, x-ray technician and others.
They requested Lieutenant Governor JK Shri Manoj Sinha led district administration to look into the matter and redress their grievances so that people may heave a sigh of relief despite repeated attempts, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kulgam, Mohammad Rafiq could not be contacted for the comments as he didn’t respond to the repeated phone calls of this reporter.
Meanwhile, When Contacted to Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kulgam Vikar Ahmad Giri, said that “he would take up the issue with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kulgam and the issue will be sorted out as soon as possible”, he said.