Chanapora residents await upgradation of PHC to SDH
Wajahat Shabir
Srinagar: The 50-bedded hospital established at Housing Colony Chanapora is waiting up-gradation from being a Primary Health Center to Sub District hospital. The foundation stone of the hospital was laid by former Minister Sham Lal Sharma on 17th of May 2012, however, the centre has not been upgraded to a hospital since then.
For the last six years, local residents have moved from post to pillar to make this PHC to function as a SDH, but all in vain.
Interestingly, an amount of Rs 20.5 crore was spent on the establishment of the health facility, the hospital was made functional in 2014 and the residents were eager for seeing it upgraded to a SDH, but after years of the struggle the people’s aspirations have met a dead end.
Altaf Shawl, President, Colony Committee, said that the construction of the hospital took place during the NC-Congress regime, while the PDP-BJP politicized its inauguration.
He alleged that whenever we went to the PDP-BJP government officials’ or ministers’, we were told that why should we intervene in the matter when the foundation was laid by another political party.
“They (officials) used to utter golden words here and when we used to meet them in their office chambers, the higher authorities used to cite one or the other reason for not acceding to our demand,” he said.
Altaf further said that they have forwarded complain letters stating up-gradation of Primary Health Center into Sub District Hospital, but nothing much has happened and it is we who are suffering due to this official apathy.
Another resident, Mushtaq Ahmed said that solo aim behind the construction of the hospital was to establish an SDH, but that has been a distant dream, and the objective is not fulfilled. The primary health center does not cater to the patients round the clock.
He added, “Residents’ from adjacent areas, be it Chadoora, Chanapora, Sanant Nagar, Natipora, Ram Bagh and other vicinities have to visit either SMHS, Rainwari, JVC or SKIMS for emergency and regular check -up. And, if an SDH is made functional here patients do not have to move around to far areas of health facility, this hospital can cater to them and save precious lives.”
Mushtaq further added that though the hospital is working as PHC, but that is not enough to cater to the emergency patients as it also lacks staff.
“Patients sometime have to visit nearby private hospital which is functioning in the vicinity and the visit to the hospital costs lot of money,” he added.
Block Medical Officer Primary Health Center, Chanpora refused to comment on the issue stating that we have been told not to talk to media persons unless seeking permission from Director Health Service Kashmir.
The Chief Medical Officer Srinagar, Dr. Talat Jabeen said that funds have been allotted and within two to three month work will commence on the hospital. Further, the building has not been handed over to us and the shortage of staff for the hospital is also to be handled before it is made functional as an SDH.
KV Correspondent
