Even after an elapse of around ten years since foundation stone of the hospital was laid in housing colony Chanapora Srinagar, the residents have been waiting for up-gradation from PHC to sub- district hospital.
Locals said that for the last ten years they have moved from pillar to post to make this PHC function as a SDH but that didn’t happen despite an amount of over Rs 20 crore spent on the building.
They said that this hospital, situated in the heart of the city, has been causing distress among local residents due to its restricted operating hours and dysfunctional Operation Theatres (OTS).
Despite substantial financial investments amounting to crores of rupees, the hospital is yet to be upgraded to a fully functional healthcare facility, leaving the community in dismay, they said.
The hospital, which currently operates from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, has faced criticism from residents who argue that the limited working hours are inadequate to cater to the medical needs of the growing population in the area.
“I had to rush my elderly mother to Chanapora Hospital during an emergency last week, but to my shock, the hospital was closed as it was past 4 p.m.,” said Rakesh Sharma, a local resident was quoted as saying by news agency KNO.
“We had to travel to a different part of the city to get the necessary medical attention. It’s disheartening to see a hospital in the city functioning with such restricted hours,
It is a 50-bedded hospital but it is of no use and it remains functional much like a government office,” he said.
Another resident, Farida Bano, narrated her harrowing experience, saying, “Doctor consulted me for an X-Ray but when we asked them to do so, we were told that it can’t be done despite X-Ray machines as the hospital lacks manpower. This is an unacceptable situation for a hospital that received significant funds for its development.”
Despite promises from the authorities to upgrade the hospital into a fully functional and well-equipped healthcare facility, progress has been slow, leaving locals disillusioned with the state of their primary medical center.
It is pertinent to mention here that during the Covid-19, hundreds of surgeries were carried out at the hospital. However, as soon as the Covid-19 pandemic came to end, surgeries were halted at the hospital giving a tough time to patients.
Concerned Counselor and community leaders have voiced their concerns and are demanding immediate action from the government.
“The lack of proper medical facilities in our area is a matter of grave concern,” said J.B. Singh, a community leader.
“We have been waiting for years for Chanapora Hospital to be upgraded, but nothing substantial has been done. It’s high time the authorities take this matter seriously and address the issue on an urgent basis.”
As the situation continues to deteriorate, the plight of Chanapora Hospital highlights the urgent need for increased investment in healthcare infrastructure and the timely execution of promised upgrades.
The local residents hope that their voices will be heard, and the hospital will soon be transformed into a fully operational facility that can cater to the medical needs of the community around the clock.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, Dr Mir Mushtaq said that the demand will be taken with higher-ups at an earliest.
“The concerns and demands of people will be taken up with higher authorities in due course of time,” the spokesperson said.
