NHM employees’ strike results in breakdown of healthcare in Kupwara

The healthcare system in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district has been badly affected by the strike of employees working under the National Health Mission (NHM) which completed 10th day today.

More than 60 percent health centres including primary health centres, community health centres and sub-district hospitals are already facing shortage of regular doctors and now the strike of NHM doctors has worsened the situation.

   

Most of the institutions in this district are virtually closed for a week now. “Above 60% doctors posted here are NHM employees, their strike has severely hit the patient care,” said a medical officer, Shameem Ahmad.

In the far flung areas of Kupwara, most of the primary health centres are run by the NHM doctors and medical staff. 

“The health centre here is open but without doctors,” said Nayeem Ahmad of Hafrada. 

“We are living in hilly areas, it took us hours to reach here from our village after facing so many hardships due to snow accumulated on the roads. But doctors are not available here,” said Bashir Ahmad of Moorie. 

At least 84 doctors of NHM are working in Sogam block of Kupwara who are on strike. 

“The strike has badly hit the health services here, we are managing with the regular doctors but the work load has doubled,” said BMO Sogam, Dr. Firdous Ahmad.

A hospital source said that besides causing heavy work load to the regular doctors and para-medical staff, the patient care has also got affected in the Kupwara SDH as the regular doctors present in the hospitals cannot tackle the rush of patients, thereby causing immense hardships to the patients.

An official in the health department said that being an essential service the doctors should not be on strike. “In SDH we are managing as we have permanent doctors but they are overburdened,” said BMO Handwara, Dr. Mummar.

“I have 18 FMPHW staffers, only four are regular and 14 are on strike,” Dr. Mummar added.

“Unfortunately we have more NHM doctors than the permanent staff, their strike has hit health centres as these doctors area posted in all hilly areas,” said BMO Kralpora, Dr. Muhammad Shafi.

“I have mostly NHM doctors posted in the hospital as well as in primary health centres which are completely dependant on these doctors,” Dr. Muhammad Shafi added.

“I am compelled to perform the USG as the appointed doctor is NHM staffer who is on strike,” said Fareed Shaheen, BMO Kupwara. 

All the BMOs complained that the health centres have been badly hit by the strike.

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