Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Aug 20: Government Primary Health Centre (PHC) Humhama on city outskirts craves for adequate healthcare facilities as the Centre is poorly staffed and lacks basic amenities.
Officials said the Health Centre is working with only 25 percent of sanctioned staff and about 75 percent of the posts are lying vacant. They said out of five doctors including one dental surgeon and one Ayurvedic Doctor sanctioned to the PHC, there is only one Doctor who fails to deliver the services.
The paramedical staff is almost non-existent with only one trainee, sources said, adding that there is no dresser available in the Health Centre, which could prove fatal if an emergency arises. “There is only one Doctor and a nurse who are solely responsible for doing all kind of medical treatments as there is no specialist appointed for any kind of disease”, Farooq Ahmad, a resident said.
He said despite being located on the airport road the centre is in deplorable condition and remains shut for the most of the time. “If anyone falls ill at night, we cannot come here as doctors are not available. Sometimes a nurse is visible but we are asked to buy syringes, cotton and other necessary medicines from outside,” the residents said.
“The PHC is located on Airport Road and this road often witness frequent accidents but in absence of facilities, the injured are shifted to District Hospital Budgam. Even patients with minor accidental injuries are instantly referred to other hospitals of Srinagar without even providing them first aid,” Ghulam Mohammad, a local resident, said.
The women of the area said the PHC fails to provide pregnancy care. “Not a single test is done here. The centre lacks testing apparatus. ECG, X-ray machines are not here. How can one rely on it? It’s a waste of money and space. The staff only come here to kill time,” Mehmooda, a local, said.
PHC Humhama caters to a huge population of Humhama, Boenpur, Gogo, Wanbal, Cooperative Colony, Gogo Highland Colony, Bilal Mohalla, Edigah Mohalla and Railway Colony. However, the PHC fails to meet the expectations of patients due to lack of staff, infrastructure and key diagnostic facilities.
Director Health Saleem Rehman assured that he will visit the Health Centre to take stock of the situation.
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