NTPHC Pehlipora: Infrastructure better, staff insufficient

Baramulla, Nov 5: The inadequate staff at New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) PehliporaBoniyar in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is forcing locals here to shift their patients to other hospitals in the district.

Despite having a wonderful infrastructure, the hospital has insufficient doctors and paramedics.

   

With the result, the hospital has been an ‘ineffective’ healthcare centre for the patients.

The hospital has a single doctor, a pharmacist, a FMPHW and a sweeper.

Despite having an X-ray machine, a dental chair and an ophthalmology section, the concerned doctors or technicians are not available.

“The hospital is being run by a single doctor. There is equipment but no technician. For an X-ray, a patient has to travel either to Sub District Hospital Uri or Government Medical College Baramulla,” said Muhammad Haneef, a local.

The worst affected are pregnant women who have to hire vehicles for appointments with doctors in other hospitals after finding no gynecologist available here.

“The pregnant women are facing immense hardships. They have to travel long distances to consult doctors. Had doctors been available here, they would not have been facing hardships,” said Muhammad Ashraf of Pehlipora village.

Besides lack of staff, there is no ambulance available in the hospital.

A sick patient recently had to hire a cab after spending huge money to reach GMC Baramulla.

The hospital was earlier acting as a sub centre and was upgraded to NTPHC a few years back.

However, despite getting upgraded, the staff strength of the hospital was not increased.

Resultantly, there has been no change in terms of healthcare facilities to the patients.

“Despite being upgraded as NTPHC, the staff strength has not been increased,” said Muhammad Iqbal, a local. “What was the use of spending crores of rupees on such an infrastructure when the staff strength is not sufficient.”

Pehlipora village comprises five halqas and a population of around 20,000.

Locals said that the NTPHC needs to be upgraded to a PHC so that the health facility serves the purpose it was meant for.

“The upgradation of the NTPHC to a PHC will ensure the health facility gets adequate staff,” said Bashir Ahmad, a government employee from Pehlipora.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Block Medical Officer (BMO), Boniyar, DrParvaizMasoodi said that they had already communicated about the issue to the higher ups.

“The dearth of the staff has been taken up with the authorities. I hope it will soon get the adequate staff strength,” he said.

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