Bandipora, July 11: Poor infrastructure and mismanagement have marred the healthcare system in this north Kashmir district compounding sufferings of the patients here.
 Though Bandipora was accorded district status in 2007 but the healthcare system here continues to remain in a poor state. Besides the main hospitals, most of the health centres lack basic infrastructure. The problem has assumed horrendous ramifications due to mismanagement by the people at the helm of affairs to smoothly run these hospitals and healthcare centres.
 The sub-district hospital Bandipora sans basic infrastructure and doctors. The 30-bedded hospital is without a blood storage unit and does not have pediatric, dermatology and ophthalmology specialists. Sources said only nine doctors are presently working in the hospital while as the requirement is 20. They said the hospital has acute shortage of paramedic and nursing staff.
 The locals have expressed strong concern over the mis-management in the hospital.
 “The doctors as well as the local staffers are not performing their job properly thus forcing people to stage protests. During past many years, there have been many deaths due to negligence of the doctors and paramedics in the hospital. Except few contractual medicos, the doctors hardly care if any serious case reaches the hospital,” alleged Saleem Ahmad, a local.
 People including the civil society members in the area have demanded transfer of the local staffers in the hospital. 
 “Patient care has been badly affected in the hospital. If the government does not take steps to improve the system in the hospital, we will be forced to launch an agitation and even stage protest in front of the Chief Minister’s secretariat,” said Muhammad Maqbool a senior citizen of the area. 
 Though a 200-bedded district hospital is under construction however the locals allege that work on it is going at a snail’s pace.
 “The hospital would cater to load of the entire district. However, it has become a victim of tussle between local political leaders,” the locals alleged.
 Throwing norms to winds, the local allege that the employees of District Hospital Bandipora have dumped huge quantity of noxious biomedical waste on the banks of a rivulet Jinder Kul here.
 The locals alleged that the hospital sans proper waste management system and its bio-medical is disposed off near the rivulet. 
 “Dumping of used syringes, plaster and infected glows is a cause of serious concern as it can be misused as rag pickers pick the waste,” the locals said.
 According to rules, it is mandatory for hospitals to ensure that bio-medical waste is disposed scientifically.
 The Primary Health Centers (PHCs) situated at Dardpoora, Arin, Mulkhuihama, Kolhuma, Leharwlapora, Athwatoo, Banyari, Saderkot, Onagam and other hamlets are also in a poor state.
 “In absence of proper infrastructure, we have to travel to Bandipora hospital even for minor ailments. There is no indoor facility in these health centers resulting in hardships to local inhabitants,” said Shabir Ahmed of Arin.
 The locals said that though the government appointed two to three medical officers in each PHCs, however these centres are ill-equipped to deal with emergency cases and mostly refer patients to SDH Bandipora.  
 “Even normal deliveries are not conducted in these PHCs causing immense inconvenience to the patients. Most of the delivery cases are either referred to Bandipora or Srinagar,” locals alleged.
 The Chief Medical Officer Bandipora Basher Ahmed Malik said efforts are on to strengthen healthcare system in the district.
 “The district hospital complex in under construction and it will take some time to complete it,” the CMO told Greater Kashmir.
 On the messy state of affairs in the PHCs across the district, the CMO said that these centers are being developed under the NRHM scheme.
 The CMO also assured that he will look into the disposal of bio-medical waste near a rivulet.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST