Kupwara: Residents of at least 25 villages in this North  Kashmir district town of  Kupwara are forced to travel miles for health care facilities’ including even first aid health care facilities, to district hospital. The reason being that the Sub-district hospital at Gonipora is non- functional.

The sub district hospital built at a cost of around Rs 1.5 Crore during past 17 years’ is non-functional due to non-availability of a washroom, the villagers rued.

“The construction of multi story concrete building of  the hospital that incurred more than a crore rupees has been completed at least two years before but sadly the authorities have been delaying construction of a washroom making a vast population to suffer for necessary health care facilities,” Abdul Hamid War, Deputy Sarpanch of  Gonipora said.

“We made several representations to the senior health officials including Chief Medical Officer Kupwara but they ignored our pleas saying that the washroom cannot be built due to shortage of funds,” he added.

The foundation of hospital premises spread over seven kanals of land in Gonipora, around 10 Kms from Kupwara headquarters was laid in 2000.

The sub district hospital is supposed to provide health care facilities to at least 25 villages including Kumkadi, Chalgund, Gondisana, Payarpora, Jugtiyal, Safawali, Batpora and Hamatpora.

“Even for a first aid, we are forced to travel miles to Kupwara district hospital. The authorities chose not to spend a few lakhs for construction of washroom,” Sonaullah Mir, a Safawali village resident said.

Chief Medical Officer Kupwara Dr. Pralad Singh said, “I will have to check the status of hospital first and then make a comment about it,” (Kashmir Wire)

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