NTPHC Watchi facing staff shortage, allege locals
Shopian: The people of historical village Watchi are suffering as New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) Watchi is being run two multipurpose health workers and authorities have failed to post a doctor there since last several months, locals said Wednesday.
The locals from Watchi said that sub centre in the area was upgraded to NTPHC few years back and new building was sanctioned which was inaugurated in January 2020.
They said that after hectic efforts a doctor was deployed there, however, with the cancelling of attachment orders of doctors and paramedical staff, all staff deployed here have joined duties at their original positions leaving the NTPHC staff less.
They said that this has been happening at the NTPC since past two years as any new doctor posted here works merely for a month and leaves back to join his original place of posting.
They said that only immunization is being done at the hospital and no patient visits the hospital where an average footfall was 50 to 60 patients per day.
Sartaj Ahmad, a local resident said that the locals are suffering in absence of doctors available at the hospital and are forced to visit other hospitals and private clinics.
He said that whenever people visit district administration the authorities inform them that no posts are sanctioned for the hospital and it hasn’t been upgraded to NTPHC yet.
They said that if it is not NTPHC then how the then deputy commissioner Shopian inaugurated the building in year 2020.
Meanwhile, an official of the health department while acknowledging staff shortage at NTPC Watchi said that this issue has already been brought into the notice of higher ups and doctors will be posted at the place very soon.
