Traders protest proposed shifting of SDH Pattan

A complete shutdown was observed in Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday against the proposed shifting of the sub district hospital to trauma hospital Pattan. 

The call for the shutdown was given by the traders’ union Pattan. 

   

A large number of businessmen blocked the Srinagar-Baramulla highway at Pattan for several hours resulting in huge inconvenience to the commuters. 

The agitating traders raised slogans against the BMO Pattan and alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched to shift the SDH to the newly constructed trauma hospital building “against the interests of the residents of Pattan and its adjoining villages”. 

While questioning the proposed move, the traders said the trauma hospital has been constructed to deal with emergency, accident and other such cases. “However, despite passing of more than fifteen years the trauma hospital has not been started. Now in order to hide their failure, the authorities are mulling to shift the SDH Pattan to the trauma hospital”. 

When contacted, BMO Pattan Dr Masrat Wani, said a group of traders for their “business interests” do not appreciate the worsening condition of the hospital building which is around 53 years old. 

“The building has been declared unsafe by the department of R&B long back. The old hospital building has just one theatre, which is operated from a tin shed. The labour room is located on the veranda of the hospital building covered with cardboard,” the BMO said. He said “few traders” have no right to deprive patients of better facility. “The trauma hospital has four theatres, equipped with all the facilities. A dialysis unit has been sanctioned recently for it, in addition to a new ambulance. We are trying to run both the hospitals simultaneously, however, patient care will be always priority and not the business interests of a few,” said BMO Pattan. 

Meanwhile, employees of SDH Pattan including the doctors and the paramedics staged a protest accusing some “miscreants” of harassing the staff. “Some miscreants created ruckus in the hospital on Thursday and even misbehaved with the senior surgeon, Imtiyaz Ahmad. These vested interests demand transfer of the BMO who has recently unearthed an unethical practice in the health sector in Pattan area,” said a medical officer, wishing not to be named.

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