Baramulla: The New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) Shutloo, Rafiabad has been without a doctor for the past several months.
In the absence of the doctor, scores of patients in the area are suffering.
As per the official record, the only doctor available in the health centre left for higher studies three years back and officials of the health department were till recently running the hospital by appointing a doctor through an ‘internal arrangement’.
However, after the state administration put a blanket ban on internal arrangement, such a practice has been put on hold, leaving the hospital without a doctor for the past several months.
Block Medical Officer (BMO) Rohama Dr Asif Ali said, “We were running the hospital through an internal arrangement of a doctor. However, we cannot continue such a procedure after the practice has been barred by the administration.”
He said that the doctor who was appointed earlier had left for higher studies and the post was lying vacant since.
“The post can now be filled only by the higher officials,” the BMO said.
In the absence of a doctor at NTPHC, the locals here are facing severe hardships and often have to travel long distances for a checkup.
“The available staff here is unable to treat patients, forcing patients to visit other health facility centres, which causes inconvenience to the patients,” said Firdous Ahmad Shutloo, Rafiabad.
The NTPHC Shutloo is a two-storey building comprising over 15 rooms.
The authorities have spent crores of rupees on its constriction but the lack of doctors at the centre is creating problems for the residents.
“Besides, such a wonderful infrastructure should be equipped with a testing lab, x-ray machine, and a dental chair so that patients benefit from it,” said Muhammad Ashraf, a local.
However, the health officials said that such facilities would be possible only after the institution is upgraded.