Locals fume as Health Deptt shuts PHC Khiram during night hours

From past two weeks, the Primary Health Centre at Khiram-Sriguwara in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, equipped to provide preliminary health care, continues to remain closed during night hours.

Villagers are up in arms against the health department for closing down the hospital and putting poor patients in limbo.

They told Early Times that without any prior notice or information the health department has ordered the closure of hospital during night hours.

“From last two years, paramedical staff was running this hospital during night and occasionally (on festivals) health department used to depute some doctors for night duties as well but now the hospital remains closed during the night,” they said.

Villagers said that for minor medical check-up during night hours, they had to sub-district hospital Bijbehara due which is at a distance of 15 kms from the village.

“Tribal population of the village spread in at least five far off areas is facing serious problems due to closure of the hospital,” they said.

A staff member at PHC Khiram blamed a local resident and said that his colleagues weren’t ready to operate the hospital during night hours. “In the middle of night, a local resident came to hospital and broke down main door without any reason. He clashed the employees and now they (employees) aren’t ready to attend night duties,” he claimed.

However, Chief Medical Officer Anantnag , Dr Mushtaq Ahmad said that hospital will remained closed during night till NHM doctors will not join back duties.

“Yes this hospital will remain closed during night till NHM doctors are on strike,” he said.

However, villagers said that the staff at PHC Khiram was permanent staff and not contractual engaged under NHM scheme.

Important to mention, out of 60 primary health centers (PHCs) in different areas of the district, only few of them function round the clock.

New type PHCs, comparatively having better facilities than normal ones and supposed to be functional day and night but authorities have bitterly failed to make all of them functional round the clock.