The hospitals in Sopore presents a very grim picture of health sector in the town.The area has one sub district hospital,one maternity hospital and some Primary health centres (PHC)working in the peripheries. These hospitals cater to the needs of population of some 118,608 people (according to the census of 2011) of the town with some Phc's that are there in namesake only.
The maternity hospital which was once the sub district hospital has not been upgraded since the sub district hospital was shifted."I started coming to this mother and child care hospital(MCH) since I conceived,but sorry to say this looks more like a cowshed where cows are forcibly kept,there is only one laboratory which has to perform the tests of so many ladies and there is no Ultra sonography plant for the poor patients,no heating arrangements and no proper medicines are available here,even the female Doctors misbhave with us on occasions said an expecting mother wishing anonymity. On the other hand, The MCH is located in the main market and it caters to the needs of thousands of women around the area but the infrastructure and facilities are not even of the standard of a local clinic
The picture of sub district hospital is also unimpressive .Thousands of patients visit the hospital on daily basis for various ailments but it presents a sorry state of affairs."There are no proper waiting rooms made for so many people visiting the facility. DOctors examine three to four patients at a time which causes confusion and choas.The PHC' also does not function properly otherwise the rush here would be less",said a patient.
Pertinently, The PHCs around the area are also defunct that forces the patients to come to the main hospitals even for cold and flu. As a matter of fact.
PHCS in Kashmir were created for the sole purpose that it would lessen the burden on main hospitals but seems government has forgotten the purpose and the reason they are cared less about.