Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Apr 21: Healthcare services at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Banihal were briefly disrupted on Tuesday after a local BJP leader, Mohammad Saleem Bhat locked the hospital gate in protest against the shortage of doctors.
Bhat also staged a sit-in within the hospital premises, drawing attention to what he described as a severe staff crisis affecting patient care in Banihal, Ramsoo and Gool Sub-Divisions.
He claimed that the issue of vacant posts of specialist doctors was repeatedly raised with district administration but no concrete action has been taken so far.
Bhat informed that three doctors are currently on study leave and one has been deputed to District Hospital Ramban with no replacement.
The situation was brought under control following the intervention of local Police and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Banihal, Mohammad Naseeb.
The SDM assured the protester that the matter would be taken up with higher authorities after which the lock on the hospital gate was opened and normal services were restored.
Meanwhile, the hospital administration has claimed that despite the staff shortage, healthcare services at SDH Banihal remain operational and the available specialists including surgeon, orthopaedist, gynaecologist and others continue to attend to the patients.
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