Aatif Qayoom
Handwara, May 09: Residents of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday strongly demanded the establishment of a Cath Lab facility at Government Medical College Handwara, saying the absence of advanced cardiac care is putting lives at risk, especially during emergencies.
Locals said patients suffering from heart related ailments are being referred to Srinagar due to the non availability of a Cath Lab at the hospital. They stated that the long travel time from Handwara to Srinagar often becomes dangerous for patients requiring immediate treatment.
A resident, Javed Ahmad, said the government must prioritise the setup of a Cath Lab at GMC Handwara as it is a life saving facility.
“In cases of cardiac arrest or severe heart conditions, every minute is important. Patients from Handwara and nearby areas take nearly two hours to reach Srinagar. Those hours are critical and can decide whether a patient survives,” he said.
He added that people from far flung and border areas of Kupwara district face even greater difficulties due to poor transport facilities and long distances during medical emergencies.
Locals said the absence of a Cath Lab forces patients and their families to suffer both emotionally and financially. They stated that many patients are referred outside the district even for urgent procedures that could otherwise be handled locally if the facility was available.
Another resident said people from Karnah, Machil, Nowgam, Rajwar, Tarathpora, Qaziabad and other remote areas depend heavily on GMC Handwara for treatment and deserve proper healthcare facilities within the district.
“Handwara caters to a huge population from border areas. A Cath Lab here will save precious lives and reduce emergency referrals to Srinagar,” he said.
Residents appealed to Health Minister Sakina Itoo and the concerned authorities to take immediate steps for establishing the Cath Lab facility at GMC Handwara.
They said people of the area deserve equal healthcare facilities like other districts and urged the government to treat the issue on priority basis.