STATE TIMES NEWS
DODA: Despite tall claims of Health Ministry to provide better medicare facilities at the door steps of every nook and corner of the State through numerous State and Centrally Sponsored Schemes, due to the lack of doctors and even para-medical staff in the hospitals of erstwhile Distt Doda people have no other option but to travel 200 KM to Jammu even for the treatment of common ailments.
PHC Nali and Trauma Centre Thatri are the worse example of the pathetic attitude of the Govt towards medicare facilities in these areas.
The Trauma Hospital of Thatri which is strategically located on Batote-Kishtwar National Highway and is at an equidistance of 30 KM from Doda and Kishtwar Distt Headquarters was supposed to cater for 30,000 population of Thatri Sub Division but these days instead of patients this hospital is mainly seen crowded with stray donkeys which is enough to tell the pathetic attitude of the concerned authorities sitting at the helm of affairs.
On the other hand PHC Nali faces shortage of space, staff, lack of residential quarters, ambulance etc.
The J and K government is running Public Health Centers (PHCs) and Trauma Centers in some parts of the Chenab Valley in violation of staff requirement norms and operates these from rented accommodations with damaged infrastructure.
Started many years ago , PHC ,Nali in Bonjwah Tehsil of District Kishtwar has not progressed till day. As a result, the PHC still operates within the same infrastructure as it had before being opened in some rooms . Despite having the knowledge of poor condition of hospitals across the state, JK Health Minister Lal Singh vows development in Health Department, narrates his working style in public meetings and before State/ Union BJP leaders but reality differs to his fictions.
Acute space shortage has badly hit services at Primary Health Center, Nali Bonjwah where health employees and doctors are finding it difficult to cater to the increasing patient rush.
The PHC, Nali , with a capacity of dozen patients , admits patients from across Bonjwah Tehsil but is deficient in space, besides nursing and other paramedical staff. The hospital beds are regularly occupied by two to three patients, sources informed.
While talking to Medical Officer of PHC Nalli Dr.Sajad he commented, “we are only having five rooms in which there is one Medical Officer office, one labour room, Lab section, one dental section and one emergency room” he said. He added that patients are facing difficulties of ambulance service /hospital beds and medicines as we get quota of medicines on new pattern of PHC.
According to an official the PHC has 15 staff members in which seven are under general category and eight under NRHM .
A patient said, “This is the same PHC that I had seen when I was a child, today I bring my own child to PHC ,Nali for treatment but it is unfortunate that for the last so many years neither this PHC has been upgraded nor the condition improved.
It is important to mention here that Bonjwah is having population of more than 35,000 and there is only one PHC.
“With the current strength of staff, and accommodation of PHC it is impossible to run the same during late night hours,” said an official. People of the area demanded up gradation of PHC Nali, full staff, Ambulance, new building, laboratory, blood bank, X-Ray, ECG and other facilities so that people of this hill and far off area take sign of relief.
