People protest, demand specialist doctors in CHC Khour

People of Khour and neighbouring villages staging protest near Press Club, Jammu on Wednesday. - Excelsior/Rakesh
People of Khour and neighbouring villages staging protest near Press Club, Jammu on Wednesday. - Excelsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 7: People from Khour, Pallanwala and neighbouring areas today staged a protest demonstration against the Health Department demanding posting of specialist doctors in Community Health Centre (CHC), Khour.
Scores of people from village Khour, Pallanwala, Joguwan and other neighbouring villages today assembled outside Press Club, Jammu and raised slogans against Health Department and Chief Medical Officer Jammu while carrying banners and placards in their hands.
The protesting people said that CHC Khour caters to healthcare needs of dozens of panchayats but is a matter of shame for the Department that even a single child specialist, orthopaedician and ophthalmologist is not posted in this hospital. They said only a few Medical Officers (MOs) are presently running the Hospital and in the name of healthcare services, there is nothing and life of patients are on stake.
The protesters demanded the Health Department to post at least a child specialist, orthopaedician and ophthalmologist in CHC Khour as patients of these specialities from the area have to cover 60-100 kilometres to reach Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu and get medical treatment.
They further said that primary health centres located at Pallanwala, Joguwan, Balli, Daleri and Khadah are also facing shortage of doctors and paramedical staff but the Government seems least bothered towards the issue and no one is paying any heed.