Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 29: The lack of dental specialists is significantly affecting patient care at the Associated Hospital of Government Medical College (GMC), Baramulla.
According to details, the Department of Dentistry is currently functioning without two Dental Surgeons-an Orthodontist and a Maxillofacial Surgeon-following the transfer of the previously available specialists.
Officials said the shortage is severely impacting patient care, with many patients forced to travel to Government Dental College (GDC), Srinagar for treatment.
In response, the authorities at GMC Baramulla have written to the Government, highlighting the issue and requesting necessary measures to address the shortfall.
Details further state that approximately 50 to 75 patients are referred each month from the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) Centre at GMC Baramulla to GDC Srinagar for orthodontic treatment.
This treatment, officials noted, could have been done at GMC Baramulla in case of the availability of the required doctors.
The official communication said that GDC Srinagar, being the only specialized center in Kashmir for such treatments, is already struggling with a growing backlog, leading to delays in care.
“If the department had the required specialists, such patients would no longer need to travel to Srinagar, and we would be able to ensure their care here,” officials said.
It has also been revealed that many patients have to make up to 50 visits to GDC Srinagar to complete their treatment-an ordeal that places both financial and logistical burdens on families, especially those from rural areas.
The hospital authorities have urged the J&K Government to address the critical shortage by filling the two long-vacant posts in the Department of Dentistry to ensure comprehensive dental care for patients across North Kashmir.
To help mitigate the burden, the hospital has proposed the deputation of an MDS Orthodontist currently posted at CHC Gurez to GMC Baramulla, where the services of the doctor could be better utilized for patient care.
The authorities have also raised concerns over the absence of a Maxillofacial Surgeon, noting that the department had previously benefited from the services of a specialist who has since been transferred.
Currently, a senior resident is temporarily handling maxillofacial cases at the hospital; however, the authorities have informed the Government that this arrangement is short-term, as the resident’s tenure is expected to end soon.
This, they warned, will once again lead to increased referrals to Srinagar and further inconvenience to patients.
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