Srinagar, Mar 21: What could be seen as a serious health concern, three newly carved districts in the Valley are without district hospitals for the past five years.
Since the creation of eight districts in the state in 2006 by then Government led by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the health infrastructure is yet to be upgraded in three out of four new districts in the Valley.
While health infrastructure in the newly created districts of Jammu has been upgraded, same is yet to be elevated in Bandipora, Shopain and Ganderbal districts.
After creation of new district in Bandipora, state Government approved a project worth Rs 46 crores for construction of district hospital. But after spending Rs 4 crore on hospital building at Nussoo, the project was abandoned in 2010 citing improper location.
The development of changing location came as one of the advisers of Governer, C. Phunsong, wrote to higher ups that site was not proper for hospital.
Finally, government chose new site for hospital last year, but work is yet to begin.
Similarly, in its neighbouring Ganderbal district SDH is yet to be upgraded to district hospital, with work on new building, to be constructed at the cost of Rs 52.56 crore, yet to be finished.
According to Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation, the executing agency of the project, 90 percent work on Emergency, Out Patient Department and In Patient Department blocks has been completed. Work on its extension and service block is underway.
The third district Shopian is no exception with district hospital only functioning on papers, with staff and infrastructure same as that of SDH. Surprisingly work on hospital building was undertaken last year, four years after creation of new district. Without creation of new staff, medicos and paramedics from adjoining hospitals had been attached to the health institution.
The residents of these areas told Greater Kashmir that most of the patients from these districts are being referred to Srinagar hospitals.
“It also mocks at claims of the government of upgrading infrastructure in new administrative units. Even the infrastructure in these places is less than of Tehsil level,” they said.
When contacted, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Muhammad Amin Wani said that sub-district hospitals in these places are bearing the load of entire district.
“Some of the posts for them were created two days ago. The construction work on buildings of these health institutions is going on,” he said, adding that department has sent proposal of 46 new posts for each of them.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST