Srinagar, Feb 17: Hundreds of patients visiting various outpatient departments (OPDs) and casualties at the District Hospital Handwara struggle to get treatment and maintain social distance because of the severe space shortage on the premises.
Many rooms and OPDs, including emergency, gynaecological, and other departments, are overcrowded leaving patients in Handwara with little choice but to suffer in silence.
As per the locals, the casualty ward of the hospital has only 14 beds, where two patients are being adjusted every time.
Due to a space shortage, patients admitted to the hospital have been having a terrifying time in the district hospital, the oldest medical facility in the district. At any given time, there are at least two patients sharing a bed in this emergency room.
There aren’t enough beds in other wards of the hospital as well. Another attendant, Shams ud Din, stated that the NCD ward has 10 beds and the gynaecological ward has an equal number of beds.
Ahmad also stated that the hospital had about 120 beds available. But now that the old building has been destroyed, the hospital is severely short of beds.
A doctor from the hospital told Rising Kashmir, “Since two to three patients are typically sleeping in one bed at once, it is challenging for doctors and paramedical staff to address emergency cases.”
The residents of the area have urged the authorities to shift the hospital into a new building to provide relief to the patients.
An official from the DH Handwara admitted to a space crunch in the hospital and stated that they have no other option until the new building is completed.
