No end to patient woes as south Kashmir lacks MRI facility

Srinagar, Feb 13: Patients from different areas of south Kashmir needing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are facing a tough time due to lack of such facilities in government hospitals adding woes to hundreds of emergency cases and patients.
Patients from different areas of south Kashmir districts continue to travel to SKIMS and GMC Srinagar for MRI causing problems to patients who don’t afford expensive procedures.
Mushtaq Ahmad, a cancer patient Pulwama said the patients face a number of difficulties due to long-distance travel and the already rush and burden in Srinagar hospitals.
He said when the GMC Anantnag was established they had high hopes that it would provide state-of-the-art services for the patients but it still has no MRI facility despite demand.
“The establishment of an MRI facility is the need of the hour which will have advantages for both medical practitioners to treat patients and the community at large,” he said.
Many patients suffering from orthopaedic, brain tumour, spinal cord disorders, cancer, neurology etc. have to suffer and are at risk if the MRI is not done on proper time.
Hundreds of patients from Kulgam, Shopian, Awantipora, Kazigund, Anantnag, Pulwama, Banihal, Ramban and Kishtwar are compelled to visit Srinagar for MRI scan facility which is unaffordable for many patients.
The patient said the MRI facility is not just necessary but a humanitarian responsibility to ensure that this vast and diverse populace has access to superlative healthcare services.
Although, the local administration has suggested an MRI and a file of the same is stuck with the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India. Officials said that the machine procurement process is long, cumbersome and expensive.
The GMC Anantnag administration has also sent a requisition to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India but it has not been sanctioned as on date.
Patients are continuously referred to Srinagar hospitals. They often have to wait for a long time to get the date for the procedure.
Dr Owais H Dar, spokesperson GMC Anantnag said the hospital administration has already earmarked a dedicated space for the installation of an MRI scanner in A-Block, underlining their unwavering commitment to elevating diagnostic services.
GMC Anantnag and its associated hospitals stand as the beacon of hope for 40 lakh people in south Kashmir but despite that the facility has not been approved by the government.
“MRI facility will promise to unlock essential diagnostic capabilities, medical research, and redefine patient care. The authorities must recognize this pressing necessity and take prompt and decisive action to make MRI services a reality at GMC Anantnag, for the ultimate benefit of the people so dutifully,” he said.
Not only MRI, on the other side there have been demands from the civil society and other quarters for the establishment of a regional cancer center as cancer cases witness rise.
Earlier this year, a female patient from Kokernag suffering from stomach cancer visited GMC Anantnag with severe ascites, indigestion and recurrent vomiting.
“My husband is a labourer. We could not afford to arrange transport to SKIMS every day and it was impossible,” said the patient.
She said there is a dire need of a separate facility for cancer patients saying that they have experienced that Regional Cancer Centre at SKIMS can’t cater to all patients.
“The prevalence of common cancers are high in south Kashmir like gastric, esophageal, colonic, lung, ovarian followed by breast, gallbladder, renal cancers etc.,” said a senior doctor at GMC Anantnag.
The newly established medical college caters to 30 lakh people from South Kashmir. He said the only requirement for establishing the RCC at GMC Anantnag is building and infrastructure in the form of radiotherapy delivery equipment and other facilities.
As per the official data, more than 750 cancer patients have been registered at GMC Anantnag in three years and numbers are quite high as most of the patients travel to Srinagar.