BUDGAM: The unavailability of digital X-ray and digital ultrasound facilities at Sub District Hospital (SDH) Beerwah is putting patients through a lot of difficulties. Many patients have no option but to go to private clinics and pay high rates for the tests.

Javed Ahmad, a patient, told Kashmir Reader that he suffered an injury in his left arm and came to the SDH to have it fixed. “But due to no Digital X-ray facility in the hospital, I had to go to Srinagar to the Bone and Joint Hospital,” he said.

“Even the normal X-ray machine which SDH Beerwah is using is very old, let alone a Digital X-ray,” he added.

Fakiya Jan, an attendant of a patient at the hospital, said that the ultrasound machine which the SDH is using is 15 years old. “Sometime this ultrasound machine stops working and patients have to wait for hours in the hospital,” she said.

“The hospital authorities are not able to provide digital facility to the patients, which will save their time,” she said.

Other patients said that they keep requesting the hospital authorities to provide Digital X-ray and Digital ultrasound facilities but no one pays heed.

Block Medical Officer (BMO) Beerwah, Dr Javaid Ahmad Ganaie, told Kashmir Reader that he has already sent a requisition to higher officials. “When we receive these two digital machines, we will provide the facilities to patients,” he said.

“We have both the machines at the hospital, but they are not digital,” Dr Ganaie said.

ARIF RASHID