Machil residents rue lack of good healthcare, many posts vacant at PHC Duddi

Kupwara, May 2: The residents of heavy snow bound Machil sector have expressed strong resentment against authorities for failing to ensure better health facilities to them with the result they are subjected to face severe hardships.

They said that although Primary Health Centre (PHC) situated at Duddi was established several years ago but lack of staff and other facilities have always been a great discomfort for them. They alleged that the concerned authorities were watching their sufferings as mute spectators. Residents complained that the health centre was inadequately staffed due to which patient care had been badly hit. They said that of six sanctioned posts of doctors, three were vacant, while the health center was running without a pharmacist. Similarly a post of Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) was also vacant here. “Not only Community Health Officer (CHO) post lies vacant but one each post of junior assistant, Health Educator, x-ray technician, dental technician, lab technician and permanent sweeper posts are lying vacant here which tells upon its smooth functioning,” they added.

Residents said that although dental chair worth Rs 8 lakh was installed here but dental doctor has never been deputed in spite of the available post here. They  complained that in absence of X-ray and proper diagnostic testing facilities, patients are forced to visit Sub District Hospital Kupwara or District Hospital Handwara for the want of the same. Pregnancy care has also been hit badly due to non-availability of a gynecologist at PHC Duddi with the result women of the area face severe hardships especially during winters when Kupwara-Machil road remains closed for several days. Residents said that Machil which consists of eleven Panchayats remains cut off from district headquarters more often during winters because of intense snowfall and due to which people tend to face immense health related hardships. “During winters when road remains cutoff that is when people face most of the brunt here and patients are being carried on stretchers by covering several kilometers on foot to reach midway from where we avail the services of public transport to reach Kupwara,” said a local. The residents said that they have brought these issues into the notice of concerned officials numerous times but nothing concrete has been done in this regard so far. Locals have sought immediate intervention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in this regard so that the genuine grievances of people are redressed. They appealed to CM Omar Abdullah to upgrade the existing PHC to the level of Sub District Hospital for better health care.