Baramulla, June 06: The residents of Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district are facing immense hardships due to poor health services.
With several non-functional ambulances, restricted surgical operations and a severe shortage of medical staff, the residents have come together to demand immediate upgrades to the healthcare facilities.
The locals told Rising Kashmir that the authorities have failed to replace the condemned ambulances that were previously assigned to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Mohura, New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) Garkote, NTPHC Nambla, NTPHC Isham, and Sub-District Hospital Uri.
They said the absence of functioning ambulances has left the area vulnerable to accidents, particularly given its higher altitude and adverse weather conditions.
Irshad Ahmad, a local stressed the urgent need for ambulances to be allocated to these health centers.
Moreover, the civil society members from Uri town have called for upgrading the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Uri. “The scarcity of medical officers and paramedics has significantly strained the public health facilities in the area,” Sajad Ahmad, a civil society member, said.
While acknowledging the efforts of the existing staff, Sajad expressed concern over the adverse impact of the staff shortage on overall healthcare services at SDH Uri. “Surgeries at SDH Uri are currently limited to three days a week due to the limited availability of an anesthetic doctor and surgeon,” he said.
Sajad further emphasised the necessity of expanding surgical procedures to be conducted throughout the week, requiring the addition of a surgeon and an anesthetic doctor.
Another glaring issue is the absence of an orthopedic doctor at SDH Uri, forcing patients with orthopedic-related issues or injuries from road accidents to seek treatment at other health institutions in Baramulla and Srinagar. The lack of specialised care has become a significant concern for Uri residents, who are urging the administration to promptly address this issue.
Nayeem Khawaja, another resident, underscored the importance of a dedicated pediatric department operating seven days a week instead of just three. “This would ensure improved healthcare facilities for children across the approximately 90 villages in the Uri area,” he said.
The residents of Uri have appealed to the authorities to urgently upgrade the health services in their region. “We hope our appeals will be heard, and immediate steps will be taken to address the shortage of ambulances, medical staff, specialised doctors, and extended operating hours at SDH Uri,” they said.
Chief Medical Officer of Baramulla Dr Bashir Ahmad acknowledged the shortage of medical officers and said the matter has already been taken up with the higher authorities.
“The issue will be resolved soon,” the CMO Baramulla said.
