Aishmuqam, Mar 6: The tall claims of the successive governments regarding upgradation of health infrastructure in remote corners of the Valley falls flat in Aishmuqam area of South Kashmir’s Islamabad (Anantnag) district with authorities failing to upgrade the Primary Health Centre.
 The PHC, which caters to the population of the Aishmuqam and people coming from remote areas, is lacking staff, infrastructure, proper space and key diagnostic facilities. “The five bedded PHC has four doctors.”
 “Since its establishment, this Primary Health Centre has not been upgraded causing a lot of problems to patients and attendants,” the locals told Greater Kashmir claiming that Aishmuqam was the only area without proper health facilities.
 The PHC, despite minimum resources, continues to witness the ever increasing rush of patients. According to official records, on an average more than 100 patients visit the Centre’s OPD regularly.
 “The doctors are unable to do justice with the increasing number of patients,” the residents said, and urged the Health Department to upgrade the Centre to sub-district hospital besides deputing more medicos for better treatment.
 “In the absence of major testing facilities, patients suffering from minor ailments to accidental injuries are being referred to Seer Sub-District Hospital and other hospitals of Srinagar and Islamabad (Anantnag),” the residents said, adding most of the patients had to visit Srinagar hospitals for conducting the MRI and CT scan as the diagnostic facility was not available in PHC. Besides there is no facility of USG machine, X-rays machine and other important equipments, the locals added.
 According to them, people have to conduct these tests at privately run diagnostic centers and shelve huge amount of money. “No doctor or paramedic wants to work enthusiastically here because of the lack of basic facilities in the hospital,” the patients said.
 “There have been several instances wherein we have shifted the wounded patients to the Sub-District hospital and District hospital Islamabad (Anantnag) which is 23 kilometers from here for specialized treatment,” the hospital pharmacist said adding that lack of medicines is also affecting the functioning of the Primary Health Center.
 Locals said that despite Aishmuqam being the hub of devotees visiting the shrine of Hazrat Zaina Din Wali (RA), and the road leading to the Holy Amarnath cave passes through the area, the PHC has not been upgraded to SDH from years together depriving the people as well as visitors from their right to good healthcare.
  “In spite of manifold increase in the number of patients visiting the hospital and with conflict-related casualties continuing to pour in, the Health Department is unmoved and didn’t bother to upgrade it to the level of more than 50 bedded sub-district hospital,” said a local Ashiq Hussain.
 “A number of trauma cases-who could have been otherwise saved in this PHC, died due to lack of facilities and specialized care. They could have been easily saved if we've had a blood bank and other infrastructure," the locals added.
 “Not only this, during the last few years, expecting mothers died on way to Seer, Islamabad (Anantnag) and Srinagar hospitals after being referred from here for blood transfusion and other  special treatment, because this PHC has no such facilities,” the people added.
 Government has turned deaf ears to our demands for PHC upgradation, the people added.
 The inhabitants accused the successive regimes of failing to fulfill this long pending demand of the people that the PHC should be upgraded to Sub-District Hospital. “Their promises prove hollow every time they come into power,” laments the residents.
Compiled by Umer Iqbal Wani

Lastupdate on : Tue, 6 Mar 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 6 Mar 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 7 Mar 2012 00:00:00 IST