In Bandipora’s Quilmuqam, NTPHC without electricity since 2019

Bandipora, Feb 24: Authorities in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district have failed to electrify a New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) in Quilmuqam village since 2019, thereby leaving all its equipment non-functional.
The locals said that the hospital had better machinery and other digital equipment was made functional back in 2019 but the authorities failed to electrify it since then.
They said that the patients and medical staff have gone through untold sufferings due to lack of electricity for these years. The inconvenience at the hospital has discouraged patients from seeking admission even when they require hospital care, Abdul Majeed, a local said.
“Patients come for checkups and even when they need hospitalisation, they prefer to go home,” he said. “Patients who are here for long term care have no option but to bear the inconvenience caused by the lack of electricity,” he added.
Abdul Hameed, another local, said that ECG machines and other necessary screening equipment were good for nothing as they require electricity. He also said that the hospital will also be without water supply from the same time.
The locals said that the issue was raised in various government-sponsored programmes like ‘Back to Village’ to press for its electricity but nothing happened on ground despite several promises.
An official at Chief medical officer (CMO) office assured that he will look into the matter. (KNO)