PHC Nagbal Budgam continues to function from rented building, allege locals
Pulwama: The Primary Health Centre in Nagbal Yousmarg area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district continues to function from rented building, the locals have alleged.
The locals from Nagbal Yousmarg said that the PHC is functioning from a rented house and there are no facilities available that the patients can avail.
They said that due to space crunch at the rented building, patients of the area have been suffering as they have no option other than to visit SDH Chaar-e-Shareef or District Hospital Pulwama for even minor ailments.
Mohammad Jabbar, a local resident said that government has started construction work of PHC building long back but it is nowhere near completion.
He said that first storey of the PHC was constructed several years back and since then the construction work was put on halt due to unknown reasons.
Jabbar added that the construction work was resumed only after repeated requests were made to the concerned authorities.
Shabir Ahmad, another local said that during winter this area remains cut off with rest of the valley for several days due to heavy snowfall as the area is very close to tourist spot Yousmarg.
In winter several times patients from the area were evacuated to other hospitals on hand or horse carts due to snowfall, he said.
The locals said that there is immediate need to complete construction work of the PHC building and equip it with latest facilities so that local patients won’t suffer anymore.
They alleged that despite repeated requests to the government there is hardly any improvement on the ground thereby leaving locals on mercy of God.
“We were expecting that the building will be completed before winter this year but that hasn’t happened and locals will continue to suffer,” they said.
They requested Director Health Services Kashmir to personally intervene in this regard and direct the concerned authorities to expedite the work on the bilding so that locals won’t suffer any more.
Meanwhile, an official of the health department said that work was put on halt due to paucity of funds.
He said that work has resumed and it will be completed at an earliest.
Jahangeer Ganaie
