Shopian: Even after 14 years of getting district status, Shopian District Hospital (DH) has a single surgery table, which not only creates problems for patients who are forced to wait for their turn for days, it also frustrates the doctors who are unable to do their duty because of lack of a basic necessity.
In 2008, the government of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir sanctioned a new district hospital building, the estimated cost for which was Rs 23.50 crore. It has been 12 years but the construction agency, the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC), is yet to fully hand over the building to the hospital authorities.
A gynaecologist doctor posted in the DH told Kashmir Reader that it’s a well-known fact that the hospital has only one table for surgeries. “Other infrastructure is outdated, too, cramped in limited space. It makes the work of doctors and paramedics difficult,” the doctor said.
The new building, which is incomplete, is only being used as OPD while the wards and other operations are being run from the old buildings, the doctor informed.
Shopian district has a 3.5 lakh population and the DH is the lone health centre where there is a 24-hour operation theatre (OT) facility, which too was started during the Covid19 pandemic this year.
According to locals, due to the deplorable condition of the OT and of the old building where all the wards are situated, people prefer to go to other hospitals.
Another doctor from the hospital said that though the hospital authorities have occupied three storeys of the new building but the fourth storey where the OT has been constructed is yet to be taken over by the health department.
“The fourth storey is useless until a lift is installed, as how can we shift patients to the OT without a ramp or lift,” he said.
Staffers said that even after the completion of the new building, it will need all the machinery and equipment to start surgeries there.
Masood Ahmad Wangoo, deputy general manager (Civil) at JKPCC, told Kashmir Reader that it will take just 20 days more to install the lift and hand over the whole building to the hospital authorities.
He said all other works like electricity, water supply, paints and roof have already been completed.
Chief Medical Officer Shopian, Dr Ramesh, couldn’t be reached for comments.

Raashid Hassan