Boniyar (Baramulla), June 3: Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Bimyar in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district lacks doctors and key diagnostic facilities.
 The PHC, which was supposed to cater to the population of Bimyar and its adjoining areas, seems little more than a chemist shop in a two story building.
 Local people allege that the PHC has an opening and closing time like a school. It opens at 10 am and closes at 4 pm and also remains closed on Sundays.
 “The PHC has no doctor, only three medical assistants. As a result we go to Boniyar or Baramulla for medical checkup, which in turn leads to overcrowding in those hospitals,” said a group of locals.
 They also said they faced many hardships due to the unavailability of the diagnostic equipment.
 “Although PHC was set up some years ago, it never turned into a medical facility in the real sense of the term,” the local residents said.
 When contacted Block Medical officer Boniyar, Dr Sheikh Farooq said the sub-centre was being upgraded. “The selection process for some 11 staff members is on the cards. We have brought X-ray and some other machines which will be installed soon,” Farooq said. He said that earlier a doctor was selected for PHC but he didn’t join the post.
 “By this year only we will post a new doctor”, he said.
 PHC Bimyar is one among the four newly constructed PHCs in the sub-division Uri.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 3 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 3 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 4 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST