Suhail Bhat
Bandipora, Dec 12: Reflecting the sorry state of rural healthcare, a single pharmacist is providing health care to three villages of Zermenz area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district due to alleged reluctance from the doctors to work at the remote hospital.
Overlooking the Asia’s largest fresh water lake, the New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) Zermenz rests on the banks of Wullar lake and was setup to provide health care facilities to three villages including Shalpora, Zurmenz and Bangladesh. Forty years ago in order to provide health care to the fishermen, an idea of mobile-dispensary was conceived by the then Government but even after four decades the status of the health unit has not been changed which is the main impediment in its functioning.
The three villages have a population of about 1200 souls with 507 males and 468 females. At present, there are 32 pregnant ladies in these three villages who according to locals said have to travel five kilometres for health care facilities. “I cannot rely on the pharmacist or the nurses that Government has allotted to our cursed village.
“The first problem is how can a male understand the problems of a pregnant lady and the nurse which comes for three days in a week or the other nurses in the health centre may not be able to diagnose the complications or problems which might arise anytime and only a Gynecologist can treat properly,” a pregnant lady said and added that mistreatment can prove fatal to her child.
Mohammad Ashraf, the lone pharmacist at the NTPHC Wullar lake, said the health centre has no approach and transport facilities are also not available, “I have to walk five kilometers to reach here. How can a doctor reach here? I am the only person who gives medicine to people. We have everything here like emergency medicine and first aid but we don’t have the required infrastructure. I treat 20-30 patients on daily basis,” he said.
He also said the NTPHC has no doctor but a staff of eight people including one senior nurse, two nursing orderly, two sweepers and an ambulance driver has been sanctioned to take care of people. “For pregnant ladies, the ambulance service is free and for others’ the nominal charges are taken,” he said.
The locals said apart from a couple of short stints by doctors they have not seen a physician in their area. “There was a Ayurvedic doctor for one or two years in the Centre but the doctor was on probation and when he was regularized, he used political influence and left the place. After him, not a single doctor has been posted here,” they added.
Block Medical Officer, Bandipora, Bashir Ahmad while talking to Excelsior said the department is facing the dearth of doctors and the places with more population is given priority. “The area has only 1000 souls and I cannot let lakhs suffer. The services were not being utilised to the fullest there so the department has accordingly sanctioned the staff.
“We have deputed a senior nurse there along with other orderly. We have put an ambulance there in case an emergency arises and for pregnant ladies the services are free. The ambulance charges and the salary of the additional nursing staff are borne by department under CDF,” the BMO added.
He said he will meet the community members along with other officials to discuss the problems pertaining to the NTPHC so that things are put in place.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
