Magam hospital becomes J&K’s second CHC-level facility to start ENT surgeries

Srinagar, Aug 29: Community Health Centre (CHC) Magam in Budgam district has achieved a major milestone by becoming the second CHC-level hospital in Jammu and Kashmir to start ENT surgeries, marking a significant step in strengthening rural healthcare services.Dr. Irfan Ul Shams, Consultant ENT at CHC Magam, said the first two ENT surgeries were successfully performed last Tuesday. With this, the facility has joined CHC Kreeri as the only two Community Health Centres in the Union Territory performing ENT surgeries.“The first two were major surgeries done under general anesthesia. We are now planning one more surgery next Tuesday and we have brought equipment for the setup,” he said.Earlier, patients had to be referred to tertiary care hospitals, where they would often face long waiting lists.“Now, such patients can be managed and operated at Magam. This will ease the surgical load on Srinagar’s tertiary care hospitals and is a big service to the local population,” Dr. Irfan said.Highlighting the importance of strengthening rural healthcare, he said: “Tertiary care hospitals should focus on high-risk patients and complex surgeries to maintain quality treatment, while basic surgeries must be handled at rural hospitals. A proper referral system is crucial if we want to reduce mortality and morbidity. Unnecessary referrals must be avoided.”Block Medical Officer (BMO) Magam, Dr. Mir Mushtaq, said that despite the hospital not having a sanctioned post of an ENT specialist, there was immense public demand as patients were facing difficulties in accessing timely care.“Now, after the efforts of the health department, an ENT doctor has been posted here, which has enabled us to start surgeries within a short span of time,” he said, adding that the hospital administration also expedited the procurement of equipment required for surgical procedures.Dr. Mushtaq said that starting ENT surgeries at the CHC level is a remarkable achievement and a source of pride for the local community. “We are thankful to the Director Health Services Kashmir, Chief Medical Officer, Budgam, and the concerned MLA for their support,” he said.The centrally located facility caters to 700–800 patients daily, providing essential gynecological, surgical, and other healthcare services.“We always aim to conduct more surgeries, but for that, we need the creation of additional posts, more wards, and infrastructural upgradation in the future,” the BMO said.He said that rural hospitals form the backbone of the healthcare delivery system in Jammu and Kashmir and that strengthening them is crucial for easing the burden on tertiary care facilities