Pulwama Nov 19: Sakina Masood Itoo, Minister for Education, Health and Medical Education, and Social Welfare, assured that her government would address the staff shortage at District Hospital (DH) Pulwama.
While acknowledging the issue, she expressed satisfaction with the patient care services at the facility.
Speaking to the media after reviewing the functioning of DH Pulwama on Tuesday, the Minister highlighted the heavy patient load at the hospital.
“Each working day, around 2,000 patients visit the OPD section of DH Pulwama, excluding those admitted in various wards,” she said. Despite this significant inflow, she noted that the hospital is operating efficiently and providing proper treatment to patients.
The Minister also mentioned the upcoming construction of a 50-bed critical care block, which she said would further enhance services at the hospital.
Regarding the shortage of medical and paramedical staff, she assured that they will examine this issue and take care of it.
She also pressed for MRI facility at DH Pulwama, given its central location in South Kashmir. She highlighted that patients from parts of Shopian, Kulgam, and parts of Anantnag frequently seek treatment at the hospital.
“I have discussed the proposal with the Director of Health Services Kashmir and urged him to prioritise the installation of an MRI machine at DH Pulwama,” she said. This addition, she explained, would reduce the need for South Kashmir residents to travel to Srinagar for MRI diagnostics.
In a separate address to people at Rajpora village of Pulwama, the Minister acknowledged the shortage of doctors in hospitals across Kashmir. She informed the public that the government had recently deputed 300 doctors to different areas of the region, including 21 for Pulwama.
“Of these, 15 have already joined in Pulwama, and six more will join soon,” she said.
Reassuring the public, the Minister affirmed her government’s commitment to serving the people of Jammu and Kashmir. However, she urged patience, stating that it would take time to address all issues and bring substantial improvements to the healthcare system.
