The residents said Wednesday that the Gurez Valley in northern Kashmir’s Bandipora district has been craving a gynaecologist since 2005.
“It was in 2005 when there was a gynecologist here. Since then, this place has been demanding gynecologists but to no avail,” said Block Medical Officer (BMO), Gurez Dr. Tahira Nazir, who handles multiple roles at the sub-district hospital Gurez for the last 17 years.
As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Gurez valley situated adjacent to the Line of control about 86 kilometers from Bandipora district in northern Kashmir is famous for its beauty, its vast forests, pastures, and green meadows with a serene environment. Its road connectivity mainly remains closed during winters due to the accumulation of heavy snowfall amid freezing temperatures.
“No gynecologist has been posted here since 2005. However, knowing that there is a great need for such a doctor here, it has not been posted yet,” said Tahira said, who attends to pregnant ladies herself, as the hospital lacks a proper gynecologist and other facilities.
“The locals have protested many times over the shortage of gynaecologists but the government has not been able to do anything yet,” said Muhammad Subhan, an elderly local of Dawar. He said that pregnant women are more affected here due to a lack of gynecologist doctors.
“Although our daughters are afraid of being delivery here because they know how many facilities are here for them, that’s why they avoid it to be done here and instead choose other hospitals,” he said, adding the problems increase during winter as transportation facilities get stuck.
Haleema, a woman, who gave birth to her first child at Bandipora hospital said that she had already come to Bandipora for delivery to avoid any untoward. “There is no doctor for us there so to whom should we describe the conditions of pregnancy there?” She said. Pregnant women are treated there in the same way as normal patients.
Kosar Ameen, another woman said that the one who is going through pregnancy in the winter months is most affected here. “Because if at that time a patient has to be transferred to Bandipora, she has no choice but to use the army helicopter to reach there,” she said. “Due to non-availability of a gynecologist, pregnancy care is hit badly and women of the area face severe hardships.”
Nasreen Begum, a pregnant woman said that being a pregnant woman is no less of a problem here. “Every day a woman wonders what will happen if something suddenly happens to her and we don’t know to whom we should attribute our misery, ” she said, adding that the most affected are those related to maternal health, which refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. She is worried at her home and wonders when she will be free from this pregnancy period.
Similarly Nahida another woman has decided to stay in Bandipora for the coming months until her delivery will take place. “Every winter the women here crave for the airlift so that they can be shifted to Bandipora,” She said, adding that the government must understand our obligations and a doctor should be posted.
“My heart was pounding as I heard the painful stories of ladies whose deliveries had been taken place here,” Zahida another lady said, adding that the pregnant woman here is very scared to see the hospital’s situation.
They also requested the concerned authorities and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to personally look into the matter and redress their grievances so that they can get major relief.
Meanwhile, an official said that the higher authorities of the health department were informed many times about this issue but the post is not being filled yet. He, however, said that everything is going smoothly there and normal deliveries are being done there The rest are being shifted to Bandipora—(KNO)