Ganderbal, Dec 21: Hospitals in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district are grappling with a severe shortage of staff, including doctors, and are ill-equipped to handle patient needs. The lack of infrastructure has led to a surge in referrals to hospitals in Srinagar, resulting in fatal delays for many patients.
Officials, wishing anonymity, said that Primary Health Center Hariganiwan (PHC) is reportedly lacking basic facilities due to official negligence, with a shortage of doctors persisting for years. Despite claims of upgrading, the staff strength remains stagnant, causing immense challenges for the thousands of people it serves.
“The shortage extends to surgeons, staff nurses, and other para-medical staff, particularly during night hours. Patients from remote areas like Mammer, Kachpathri, Gichkhoad, Ganiwan, Surfraw, and adjacent regions are being referred to Srinagar hospitals even for minor ailments due to the inadequate staff,” they said.
Primary Health Center Gund (PHC) faces a similar fate, with valuable medical machinery lying idle due to a lack of trained operators. The establishment of an Operation Theatre in PHC Gund in 2009, despite significant government investment, remains non-functional without a deployed technician.
The absence of essential medical personnel, including paramedical staff, anaesthetists, paediatricians and ophthalmologists compounds the issue.
They said PHCs like Hariganiwan, Gund and Sonmarg see a good number of patients daily in their Outpatient Departments (OPD). The absence of vital diagnostic facilities, such as Computerized Tomography (CT) scans, MRIs, digital X-rays, and blood banks, forces doctors to refer stroke and trauma patients to Srinagar hospitals.
Locals said well-equipped instruments and machinery are lying unused, compelling them to seek medical care in other cities. They sought the urgent attention of the authorities and demanded comprehensive reforms to address staffing and infrastructure deficiencies.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Ganderbal did not respond to multiple calls made by this reporter.
