Pulwama: The absence of a dentist and Laboratory Assistant at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Hawal Rajpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama distrit has left the residents fuming.

Accusing the authorities for ignoring their plights, the residents of Hawal Pulwama and its adjacent areas here have demanded immediate redressal of their genuine grievances.

“The dentist and Laboratory Assistant were earlier available at the PHC but due to some unknown reasons they were transferred a few months back,” Khalid Ahmed, a local resident said, adding that the authorities have since then failed to fill the vacant posts at the PHC.

“Due to the shortage of dental surgeon and Laboratory Assistant at the hospital, patients are being forced to get digital X-ray done at private clinics,” the locals told ‘Kashmir Vision’.

They added that patients are being compelled to visit District Hospital Pulwama or Srinagar hospitals for treatment.

“My daughter was suffering from high fever last week. We rushed her to the PHC but the staff there asked us to take her to Pulwama to get a typhoid test done,” Abdul Rehman, a resident of Gabbarpora village said.

“Patient care has been badly affected in the PHC due to shortage of dentist and laboratory assistants and if the government won’t take steps to improve the system here, we will be forced to launch an agitation,” said Mudasir Ahmad, another local resident. Locals said that they have raised this issue with concerned authorities several times but so far authorities have failed to take any positive step.

They later urged the higher ups to intervene into the matter so that locals would heave a sigh of relief.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Pulwama, Dr Jaffer Akhoon when contacted said, “I have joined the office a few days ago and I have no information about the same.”

He added that he will look into matter and every possible step in this regard will be taken soon.

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