Srinagar, Sep 26 (KNO): Residents of Chanapora and adjoining areas have renewed their demand to upgrade the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Chanapora to a 24×7 Sub-District Hospital, citing inadequate healthcare services and underutilisation of the existing infrastructure.
Locals have expressed concern over the non-functional X-ray unit at the health centre for the past six months, reportedly because an X-ray technician is absent.
Despite repeated representations to the concerned authorities, the facility has not been restored, forcing patients to visit private diagnostic centres for X-ray examinations, they told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
They said the unavailability of the facility was causing inconvenience and an additional financial burden, particularly for economically weaker families who depend on the government healthcare institution for affordable treatment.
The residents questioned the continued underutilisation of the health centre despite substantial investment in its infrastructure. The facility has a capacity of 50 beds and has reportedly been developed at a cost of around Rs 23 crore. It is equipped with two modular operation theatres, two oxygen plants, an uninterrupted power supply system, lift facilities and other modern medical equipment.
According to locals, the operation theatres were made functional during the COVID-19 pandemic, when hundreds of Lower Segment Caesarean Section (LSCS) procedures were reportedly performed. However, the facilities were subsequently shut down after the pandemic, despite the availability of infrastructure and the continued need for such services in the area.
Restoring the operation theatres and ensuring round-the-clock healthcare services would significantly improve access to medical facilities for people in Chanapora and neighbouring localities, they said.
The residents said the upgradation of PHC Chanapora into a Sub-District Hospital would also help reduce the burden on major hospitals in Srinagar by enabling patients to access essential medical services closer to their homes.
They have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor and the elected government to intervene and direct the Health Department to address the long-pending issues. Their demands include the immediate deployment of an X-ray Technician, restoration of the X-ray facility, reopening of the operation theatres and adequate deployment of doctors, paramedics and other essential staff.
They have also called for making the health centre fully operational round the clock and expediting the process of its upgradation into a Sub-District Hospital.
The residents said the existing infrastructure and equipment should be put to effective use instead of remaining idle, adding that the facility could play a significant role in strengthening healthcare delivery in Chanapora and adjoining areas.
They expressed hope that the government would take their demands seriously and initiate concrete measures to ensure that the health centre provides comprehensive medical services to the local population—(KNO)