Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Oct 9: A tussle between locals and administration over the alleged closure of Sub District Hospital and shifting of its staff to the newly constructed Model Hospital in Dooru area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag District has stalled latter’s inauguration for over five months.
An official of Health Department said despite completion of construction work on new building and installation of other necessary diagnostic equipments required for the new Model Hospital, the inauguration has been stalled for over five months. He said the construction of the new buildings was taken up in 2015 but due to a tussle between locals and administration, the building has not been thrown open yet.
The shifting of the staff and patients to the newly constructed building in the same complex has become necessary as the Hospital was in a dilapidated condition for a long time, he said. Dooru Traders’ Federation president, Masood Ahmad Boda alleged that the Government has deceived them as they were told that a Model Hospital would be built in their area.
“Shutting one hospital and building other will serve no purpose. Initially, they told us that they are building a state of art hospital but they are drifting now and talking about the upgradation of the existing hospital. It means the people living the main town have to cross several security checks to reach for treatment,” he said.
Medical Superintendent of Sub District Hospital Dooru, Shaan Mohammad, when contacted said it was impossible for them to run both the hospitals as Health Department is already facing staff shortage. “We are already facing dearth of staff and it won’t be possible for us to run both the health institutes. We have been planning to provide all the facilities under one roof but people don’t understand things,” he said.
The MS said that the building was complete and 10 dual air conditioners and 50 wall mount heaters have already been approved. He, however, said the building has to undergo several modifications as it was initially meant for the 200-bedded maternity hospital but was later upgraded to Model hospital.
“In order to install the CT- scan we have to raise the testing lab and for the lab, we demolish the canteen. At present, there will be a joint OPD but we have already floated tenders for the construction of two new blocks that will remove all the space constraints,” he said.
On the other side, people alleged that the existing Hospital not only lacks proper infrastructure, lighting, medical facilities but also doctors. They said that the pregnant women have to face many problems, as no female doctor remains available in the hospital during night.
Official sources said that a new building was sanctioned with a cost of Rs 11.5 crore and for that land was identified on Sandran stream at Naduroo near Police Station Dooru but the building was yet to be completed due to the slow pace of work. They attributed the slow pace to work with the casual attitude of local politicians and higher authorities of Health Department.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
