Srinagar, Apr 28: Several vital healthcare facilities in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district continue to grapple with a severe manpower shortage, taking a toll on patient care across the region.
Residents from various areas of the district said that despite a steep rise in patient footfalls over the years, staffing levels have remained stagnant.
Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla, the major hospital in the area, is facing an acute shortage of specialists, which is adversely affecting patient services. According to officials, the college currently has no nephrologist, cardiologist, or neurologist.
“There is also a critical shortage of orthopedicians and endocrinologists, which has forced patients from across north Kashmir to travel to Srinagar for treatment,” an official said.
Locals highlighted that the recent transfer of the lone cardiologist without a replacement has severely impacted cardiac care services, leaving patients with no option but to seek help in Srinagar.
Other major health facilities in the district are similarly affected. Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Sopore, which caters to a huge patient load, also faces a shortage of doctors and paramedics.
“The shortage of staff at SDH Sopore has made it difficult for both patients and existing staff. Increased workloads lead to delays in patient care and compromise the quality of services,” said Junaid Ahmad, a resident of Sopore.
SDH Kreeri, despite being centrally located and serving more than 40 villages, is also facing a severe shortage of healthcare personnel, severely impacting its ability to provide timely and effective care.
PHC Kalantra, a Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC) under GMC Baramulla, is another facility battling acute manpower shortages. Locals said that no additional staff has been posted for many years, leaving patients from over two dozen villages without access to essential healthcare services.
Regarding the absence of a cardiologist at GMC Baramulla, an official from the Health and Medical Education Department said the department is “working on sending a cardiologist” to the college. However, five months have passed since the transfer of the previous cardiologist, and no replacement has been posted yet.
The official also said that all vacant paramedical positions have been referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (J&KSSRB) for recruitment.
As for the shortages at SDHs, the official noted that vacancies in the non-gazetted and paramedical categories have already been referred for recruitment, while some posts of Medical Officers are awaiting finalization from JKPSC.
“Once the selections are complete, newly recruited doctors will be posted in institutions facing staff shortages,” the official added.
