120 ISM institutions defunct in State, several closed

Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Nov 29: As majority of the doctors are posted in the urban areas of the State, mostly in Srinagar and Jammu cities, around 120 Indian System of Medicine (ISM) institutions including hospitals and dispensaries are defunct in rural and far flung areas of the State for want of doctors and para-medical staff and the patient care is suffering.
In Jammu division, there are 314 ISM institutions with only 225 doctors posted in them. These doctors are mostly posted in Jammu city, leaving 99 institutions in rural and far flung areas of the division defunct.
In Jammu district, there are 59 ISM institutions where more than 80 doctors have been posted and even three institutions – ISM Dispensary HP Sidhar, Aghore and Bari Brahmana are defunct.
In Kashmir division, there are 262 ISM institutions, where 340 doctors are posted and 30 ISM institutions mostly in rural and far flung areas are defunct for want of doctors. Out of this, in Srinagar city there are 26 ISM institutions and one Unani Hospital at Shalteng where 70 doctors have been posted while in neighbouring Ganderbal district 5 ISM Institutions are defunct as no doctor is posted there.
The doctors in the Ganderbal hospitals and dispensaries were transferred and no replacement was made with the result patient care is suffering.  The district Nodal Officer ISM Ganderbal in a letter (ND/ISM/GBL-478 dated 26-10-2017) written to Director ISM said: “…transfer orders issued without replacement of the staff or proper placements made the institutional work to suffer. As such it is requested that while issuing the transfer orders of the staff, it should be under consideration that all the institutions remain functional. …the below mentioned dispensaries/institutions are presently without Medical Officers, so kindly arrange the staff at the earliest. ISM Dispensary Mammer, ISM Dispensary Wayil, ISM Dispensary Bakura, ISM Dispensary Arhama and  ISM Dispensary Chatergul Bala.”
Similarly, the Medical Officers have been transferred from several hospitals in Anantnag and Kulgam districts but no replacements have been made. A letter written by Assistant District Medical Officer Anantnag/Kulgam (EST/ISM/ADMO/Ang-Kgm 981-82 dated 11-10-2017) to Director ISM read: “Consequent upon the transfer of Medical Officers, the below mentioned institutions  have been rendered defunct.  Balkoot, Kapran, Hardu Turoo, Gurdraman, Soafshali in Anantnag district and Watloo, Nandimarg, Pombay, Akhall in Kulgam district. It is therefore requested that posts of Medical Officers in these institutions may please be filled up at an earliest, so that the patient care didn’t suffer”.
The defunct ISM institutions across the State include ISM hospitals and dispensaries at Mammer, Wayil, Bakura, Arhama, Chatergul Bala in Ganderbal district; Onagam, Malangam, Check Ganastan, Nakhin Chatibanday in Bandipora district; Batkot, Kapran, Hardu Turoo, Gurdraman, Soofshali in Anantnag district; Watoo, Nandimarg, Pmbay, Akhal in Kulgam district; Teetwal, Neichiyan, Khurhama, Amrohi, Maindanpora, Meelyal, Budnmbal in Kupwara district; Ughanpur, Kulwnat, Dalpad, Dhanwalt, Ladha, Katwalt, Sia-mehri in Udhampur district; Balyot, Ghandhr in Ramban district;  Kundan, Pora-Kotla in Reasi district and HP Sidder, Aghore and Bari Brahmna in Jammu district.
Some of the dispensaries have been closed due to lack of doctors and para-medical staff. The district Nodal Officer ISM Bandipora in a letter (ADMO/ISM/Bpr:-169-70 dated 10-10-2017) written to Director ISM read: “…i would like to inform your good self that the below mentioned ISM Institutions of this District are without Medical Officer/Staff. ISM Dispensary Onagam Bandipora- Medical Officer detailed to work at Srinagar, ISM Dispensary Malangam- M/O transferred to ISM Dispensary Kehnoosa, ISM Dispensary Check Ganastan- M/O transferred to ISM Dispensary  Gonipora Disst, Baramulla,  ISM Dispensary Nakhin Chattibandi- M/O detailed to work at Srinagar. It is further to mentioned that all the above three ISM Dispensaries are closed due to non availability of Paramedical staff.”
There are 85 posts of Medical Officers vacant in various Ayurvedic and Unani hospitals and dispensaries across the State which are not being filled. According to a letter (DDISM/J/1915 dated 27-09-2017) written by Deputy Director ISM to Director ISM the vacancies are in Ayurvedic and Unani hospitals and dispensaries of Deri Relyote, Ghambir Brahmna, Nara Majra, Qila Drahal, Kampla, Nowshera Town, Thana Mandi Purani, Tanoori, Phaini, Galuthee, Androoth in Rajouri district; Sia-mehri, Sunetar, Kotwalt, Gilyote, Narmeen, Blater, Kaldi, Dhanwalt, Jakhed, Nagrota Panj Grain, Ladha, Shouri Lowermeer, Khail Seer Mangla, Kheaned in district Udhampur; Sarhi, Pora Kotla, Jhandi, Mallikot, Sildhar, Dharam, Manji Kot, Bagga, Reasi City, Channa in Reasi district; Dhar Mahanpur, Parangoli, Duggani, Marapatti, Bandhar, Nathi, Basholi Town, Sirnu, Derly in Kathua district; Galipindi, Arai, Basooni, Ari, Gursai, Khanetar, Azamabad, Serikhewaja, Dharmsal, Bafliaz in Poonch district; Kukerwas, Bhatkot, Nagbhatna, Keshwan, Sigdi, Sarthal, Sounder, Batwath, Hullar, Kithar, Balgran, Badat, Afti Warwan in Kishtwar district; Ganote, Chareel, Balyote, Kholi, Parnote, Ashmaar gool, Sumbad, Kanthi gali, Shagun in district Ramban; Jagota, Malan, Chuchattar, Tanta, Manoo, Bejja Chiralla, Dongroo Assissee, Batyas in Doda district and Rabta in Jammu district.

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