Kupwara, Dec 12: The shortage of gynecologist doctors at District Hospital Handwara has triggered anger among the people across district Kupwara and they have sought filling up of vacant posts at the earliest for better patient care.
The hospital which happens to be one of the pioneer health institutions in north Kashmir is facing a shortage of doctors and paramedics for quite some time now. According to official data, of three sanctioned consultant gynecologist doctors at DH Handwara, two are vacant.
Official details reveal that one consultant doctor has been working under National Health Mission (NHM) and a doctor with Diploma in Gynaecology and Obstetrics is also posted here but he is supposed to join at Gurez for one month under a recent order by the Director Health Services Kashmir.
“Once the doctor with Diploma in Gynaecology and Obstetrics joins in Gurez, the hospital will be left with only two gynecologists which will hamper the smooth functioning of the section. The available doctors are already overburdened with work and shifting one doctor to Gurez will make their work tougher,” an official of the hospital told Greater Kashmir.
The shortage of doctors has left the locals anguished. They said that due to a shortage of gynecologist doctors, patients were suffering a lot even as the concerned authorities were watching as mute spectators.
They said that until the vacant posts of gynecologists are permanently filled, the government should notify the posts under NHM so that the hardships being faced by common people may lessen.
“We have been raising this issue for so many years, even we have brought this issue to the of notice of Administrative Secretary Health and Medical Education Bhupinder Kumar during his recent visit to District Hospital Handwara but till date no headway has been witnessed on ground,” a civil society member of Handwara told Greater Kashmir.
The locals have now sought immediate intervention of Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha in this regard.