Kupwara, Oct 18: Residents of Sochalyari village in Ramhall area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have sought an urgent upgrade of their health centre, alleging that a shortage of staff, absence of a doctor and non-availability of free medicines have left them struggling for basic healthcare.
The residents said the centre was functioning with just one employee, making it difficult to meet the healthcare needs of the local population.
“The health centre exists in our village, but in the absence of adequate staff and basic facilities, it has failed to provide the healthcare services we need,” locals said.
They said the absence of a doctor had forced residents to travel long distances even for minor ailments.
“Even for minor ailments, we have to travel over 10 kilometres to reach PHC Tarathpora. This causes immense inconvenience, particularly for elderly people and patients who need immediate medical attention,” said Ajaz Ahmad, a local resident.
The residents also flagged the non-availability of free medicines, saying it had added to the financial burden on families, many of whom could not afford to purchase medicines from the market.
“The non-availability of free medicines has added to our difficulties as many families cannot afford to purchase medicines from the market,” said another local resident, Wasim Ahmad.
The residents appealed to Health Minister Sakina Itoo to upgrade the health centre, deploy adequate staff and ensure the availability of a doctor and essential medicines to improve healthcare access in the village.
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