Kupwara, Nov 3: The residents of Langate expressed resentment against the authorities for failing to provide adequate and better health facilities at Sub District Hospital Langate, making people suffer.
Upgraded decades ago, the hospital surprisingly does not offer even basic facilities to the people and lack of specialised doctors and paramedic staff adds to their woes.
The hospital was shifted a few years back to the newly-constructed multi-storey building following which people anticipated better healthcare here.
However, even after the passage of several years, nothing concrete has materialised so far and people are forced to suffer.
The hospital not only functions without an ambulance but the sophisticated operation theatre here has never been put to use.
The dearth of staff in hospital has not only hit the patient care but the available staff here also remains overburdened.
An official document, a copy of which is with Greater Kashmir, reveals that of the total 16 sanctioned posts of doctors, nine were vacant.
According to the communiqué, a sanctioned post of consultant surgeon was lying vacant at Sub District Hospital Langate and due to non-functioning of the operation theatre, the concerned doctor was performing duties at SDH Kupwara.
Similarly, due to non-functioning of the operation theatre at SDH Langate, the lone sanctioned consultant anesthesia had been attached to Sub District Hospital Kupwara.
Among one each sanctioned post of B-grade physician specialist, B-grade gynecologist, B-grade orthopedics and B-grade pediatrician, not a single post had been filled.
Of the seven sanctioned posts of medical officers, one is vacant.
Similarly, one each post of a radiologist and a dental surgeon are vacant.
The hospital is facing acute shortage of paramedical staff as well and with one each sanctioned post of a head pharmacist, a supervisor lab technician, a senior lab technician, a supervisor X-ray technician and an anesthesia assistant all are vacant.
Furthermore, of the seven sanctioned posts of junior nurses, two are vacant.
Similarly, one each sanctioned post of a health worker, an Aaya, a chowkidar and a Class-IV post are vacant.
Two sanctioned posts of ward boys have also been vacant.
Although a B-grade ophthalmologist is deputed here but attends duties here only days a week and works the other three days at District Hospital Handwara.
The hospital also lacks a digital X-ray plant. Due to non-availability of a radiologist here, the USG machine is also of no use.
Block Medical Officer (BMO) Langate, DrGowhar said that he had written to the higher ups for augmenting the staff and expressed hope that some tangible and concrete steps would be taken in this regard.
He said that since SDH Langate was previously designated as a Covid hospital, steps of making the operation theatre operational were halted.
Dr Gowhar said that the other main obstacle in making the operation theatre operational was lack of hotline for power supply.
Director Health Services Kashmir, DrMushtaq Ahmad Rather told Greater Kashmir that he would personally look into the matter so that the genuine grievances of the people are redressed at the earliest.
Regarding the ambulance, he said that now the scenario has changed altogether.
“We have ambulances available under Toll Free No 108 and 102. People can avail the service by just making a single call,” he said.
Dr Rather said that whatever would be necessary to make the operational theatre functional at SDH Langate, would be done in the due course of time.