Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Dec 07 : Patients at Sub District Hospital (SDH) in Keller in south Kashmir’s Shopian district are facing hardships due to a lack of essential medical services and staff shortages.
Several patients from the area who spoke to the news agency said the hospital is unable to provide adequate care due to these shortcomings.
According to locals, the hospital has been without an orthopaedic doctor since the transfer of the previous one last year. Despite the passage of time, the position remains vacant, leaving many patients in need of orthopaedic care without a proper medical professional.
They said the hospital’s recently installed USG (ultrasound) machine remains non-functional due to the absence of a qualified radiologist, which has further worsened the situation.
Sameer Ahmad, a local, said there is a disparity between government claims of upgrading rural health infrastructure and the ground realities in the region. “Simply naming a hospital a district or sub-district facility is meaningless unless it is properly equipped and staffed,” he said.
Patients further said the road leading to SDH Keller from the main town is in a dilapidated condition, which makes access to the hospital even more difficult. Many patients are forced to seek treatment at other hospitals or private diagnostic centres, which incurs further expenses and wastes valuable time, they said.
Meanwhile, several other posts at the hospital remain unfilled, which has been hampering the hospital’s functioning.
Locals said they have raised these concerns multiple times with the concerned authorities, but no concrete steps have been taken so far. They have appealed to higher officials to address the issue urgently.
Block Medical Officer (BMO) Keller, Dr Rafiq Ahmad, told KNO that several vacancies exist at the hospital and that he has already brought these issues to the attention of higher authorities. “We hope necessary actions will be taken soon,” Dr Ahmad said. He said every effort is being made to provide the best possible healthcare under the current circumstances.
