Bandipora NTPHC Ambulance Off the Road; BMO Says it Was Used for VIP Duty, CMO Says it is Unfit for Roads | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Residents of Ashtangoo and adjoining villages in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district have alleged that the absence of the only ambulance attached to the New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) has left thousands of people without dependable emergency medical transport, even as senior health officials offer conflicting explanations about the vehicle’s status.

The villagers, who rely on the NTPHC for primary healthcare services, said the ambulance caters to nearly a dozen villages and is often the only means of transporting critically ill patients, expectant mothers and accident victims to higher healthcare facilities in Bandipora and Srinagar.

“For people living in remote areas like ours, an ambulance is not a convenience, it is a necessity. When emergencies strike at night, families are forced to search for private vehicles or wait for help from other areas,” said Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Ashtangoo.

The controversy emerged after Kashmir News Service reported allegations that the ambulance designated for NTPHC Ashtangoo had been diverted for VIP protocol duties.

In a written rebuttal dated June 11, the Block Medical Officer (BMO), Bandipora, denied the allegation and stated that the ambulance attached to NTPHC Ashtangoo is currently off the road because it lacks registration and cannot be operated legally.

The BMO further said a 108 Emergency Response Service ambulance is available at the health centre round the clock, while an additional vehicle from PHC Binlipora is kept on standby.

“The ambulance used for VIP duty in Bandipora does not belong to NTPHC Ashtangoo,” the BMO stated in the rebuttal.

However, in an earlier phone conversation with the media, the BMO had said ambulances are routinely deployed for VIP movements whenever requisitioned by the administration.

“When higher authorities require ambulances for protocol duties, they are provided as per the need,” the BMO said.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Bandipora, meanwhile, said she had been informed that the ambulance attached to NTPHC Ashtangoo had been operating without valid registration documents.

“As per the information available to me, the vehicle is not properly registered and cannot be used until the necessary formalities are completed,” she said.

The differing accounts have raised fresh questions among residents.

“If the ambulance cannot legally ply on roads, why was it attached to our health centre? And if alternative arrangements exist, why do patients continue to struggle for transport during emergencies?” asked Abdul Majeed, another resident.

“We are not opposed to official visits, but emergency services in remote areas cannot become secondary to protocol requirements,” said Shabir Hussain, a local.

Residents have sought intervention from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, demanding a transparent inquiry and immediate restoration of uninterrupted ambulance services in the area. (KNS)