Health Deptt proposes underground portion of Poonch hospital

Rajouri, Jun 30: To tackle with situation that can arise in case of further border skirmishes and cross border shelling, health department has proposed construction of an underground hospital portion for district hospital Poonch.

The proposal has been mooted by Chief Medical Office (CMO) Poonch and has been forwarded to the Government for approval and sanction of project. The underground health component, to be built as part of district hospital Poonch, will be used as emergency hospital in case of cross border shelling and situation when working existing district hospital becomes challenging as seen in recent times when border skirmishes took place after Operation Sindoor.

The proposal is expected to get nod from Jammu and Kashmir Government sensing gravity of situation and urgency of matter.

Confirming about this proposal, Chief Medical Officer Poonch, Dr Parvez Ahmed Khan said that the proposal include both for a hospital and it’s residential complex. Dr Parvez Ahmed Khan stated that an emergency operation theatre has been proposed which include main operation theatre and its allied components also.

“This is to be an emergency operation theatre to conduct all important and emergency surgeries during tough times.” CMO Poonch said. He further informed about a residential complex to be part of this hospital component so that doctors as well as paramedic staff can be stationed in this underground residential complex.

Alongside it, Chief Medical Officer further informed about requirement placed for two bullet proof ambulances for Poonch hospital so that safe evacuation and shifting of patients is ensured. Pertinent to mention here that Poonch district witnessed heavy shelling and cross broder skirmishes for atleast four days after Operation Sindoor with Poonch main town also got badly hit with shelling causing large scale damages of property as well as loss of life with sixteen people died across the district and thirteen in Poonch town alone.

The healthcare services including even emergency surgeries were badly impacted in Poonch Hospital as the area in vicinity of hospital also came under heavy shelling making it challenging for staff to run the institute smoothly.