Anantnag, Jun 24 (KNO): Residents of Bewoora village in Bijbehara, located in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, have been grappling with inadequate health facilities. While the population has surged over the past few decades, the authorities have failed to enhance healthcare services.
According to locals who spoke to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the area's health infrastructure has not seen upgrades since a dispensary was established 30 years ago, which was later upgraded to a health and wellness centre. Despite the manifold increase in population over the last two decades, the health centre has not been further upgraded, they said.
Muzaffar Ahmad, a local, said there is a severe lack of medical staff and facilities. "Only two nurses are posted at the centre, and apart from basic first aid and immunisation, no other facilities are provided to the public," he said.
The residents of Bewoora, a large village with a population in the thousands, face significant hardship due to the lack of adequate medical services.
The locals, many of whom are financially disadvantaged, are often forced to travel to sub-district or district hospitals for medical care. This journey can be perilously long, with several patients reportedly dying en route to the hospital due to delays.
They have been advocating for the upgradation of the health and wellness centre to a New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) and the deployment of additional medical staff. Despite raising this issue with higher authorities multiple times, there has been no substantial progress.
Residents have appealed to the authorities to upgrade the health centre and equip it with better facilities to alleviate their suffering.
An official told KNO that the process for upgrading the health centre has begun. "We are assessing feasibility and other parameters," he said.
Residents have expressed hope that the necessary upgrades will be implemented soon and they are provided with much-needed relief and improved access to healthcare services—(KNO)