Nasir Khuehami
Srinagar, Jun 17 (KNS): Even after elapsing nine years, the authorities have miserably failed to complete the construction of 100-bedded district hospital in Bandipora.
Sanctioned nine years ago, the foundation stone for the 100-bed district hospital in the Bandipora district was laid in the year 2010.
District Hospital is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 28.24 Crores out of which Rs 22 crore have been utilized so far, sources as per Kashmir News Service (KNS) Correspondent (KNS) said.
They added that the executing agency has missed four deadlines till now for the completion of the hospital.
In recent past DC Bandipora Shahbaz Mirza said that hospital will be functional by April-end but to no avail.
Sources further added that it is unlikely that the hospital will be completed this year.
The present hospital whose OPD and other sections are running in tin sheds with SDH status lacks proper space, causing immense hardships to the people.
Pertinently, the execution work of the hospital is being carried out by JK Housing Board.
The administration of SDH, said lack of space is affecting the healthcare services as the present building is insufficient to cater to the huge rush of the patients that hospital witness every day.
“The space constraint is also hampering the overall functioning of the hospital and patient care. The old building is insufficient to cater to the huge rush of patients that visit the hospital every day. The hospital caters the population of over a hundreds of villages and lack of space forces patients to visit other hospitals for medical treatment. Several patients had died while being shifted to the other centers. The Hospital is overcrowded and it takes a lot of time to get treatment here,” they said.
Scores of patients from upper reach like Doban, Athwatoo, Kudara, Wevan and other areas visit the hospital for treatment but are frequently being referred to Srinagar or Sopore due to the lack of space at the hospital.
Earlier, the then Chief Medical officer (CMO) Bandipora had claimed that the hospital would be completed by the end of the year 2018. However, the project is still incomplete.
DC Bandipora Shahbaz Mirza could be materialized to have comments in this regard as he didn’t receive the repeated phone calls. (KNS)