Zaffar Iqbal
Uri, Aug 22: Patient-care continues to lie in shambles at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Boniyar of this frontier town as the concerned authorities fail to restore the Ultrasonography and dental facility services at the health facility even after six years.
A local Irfan Ahmad said the center is lacking all the basic equipment and infrastructure, more importantly, the USG machine and dental facility services. “Since these facilities are not available at the health facility, locals are forced to approach hospitals at Baramulla or Srinagar,” he said.
Another local raised the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding. “This fund (CSR) is provided by the government to NHPC and is supposed to be used for the community welfare, however it seems, unfortunately, they too have neglected this hospital,” he said.
An employee at the hospital said authorities have “failed” to restore the services damaged in the aftermath of the 2014 floods. “Though we approached the senior government officials but to no avail,” he said.
Recently BMO Boniyar wrote to the DC Baramulla about the same and a copy of the letter reads, “We are directly in contact with power projects and power project establishments of NHPC but we lacking basic machinery equipment facilities are still using outdated methods which are time-consuming and involve most human efforts”.
Doctors say the PHC caters to a population of around 85,000 families. There are 8 PHCs and 28 sub-centers in medical block Boniyar.
Dr. Parvaiz Masoodi, BMO Boniyar said he has taken up the matter with the higher authorities and something will be done soon to resolve the problem.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Baramulla Dr.Deeba Khan said she has received the equipment for the center.
“The USG facility and dental chairs will be installed soon there,” she said. ( GNS)
PHC Boniyar without USG, dental facility for six years; locals suffer
