New building almost complete, but PHC still functioning from Panchayat Ghar

BUDGAM:Most of the construction work for a new Primary Health Centre (PHC) building at Aripathan village in Beerwah tehsil is complete, but the PHC is still functioning from the Panchayat Ghar in the village. This is preventing the functioning of many healthcare facilities for which a new building is necessary, causing immense problems to people in Aripathan and surrounding villages.
Locals from these villages said that due to the unavailability of basic facilities in the Primary Health Centre, patients are facing a lot of problems on a daily basis. Firdous Ahmad Wani, a resident of Aripathan village, told Kashmir Reader that the government started the construction work of the PHC building in March 2017.
“The PHC Aripathan was allotted by the government in 2009 for the village and it started functioning in a rented accommodation. After the owner of the house did not receive rent from the health department, the PHC was shifted to the Panchayat Ghar, and it is still functioning there in the four rooms of the Panchayat Ghar,” Wani said.
He said most of the patients from his village do not prefer to visit the health centre as there are no proper facilities for patients. Instead, he said, the patients go to the Sub District Hospital (SDH) in Beerwah or to the SDH in Magam.
“Nearly 16,000 people in eight villages are dependent on this PHC. These villages include Aripathan, Hazerpora, Warhama, Kandhama, Gomboora , Ichama, and others,” Wani said.
Mohammad Shafi Wani, a resident of Hazarpora village, told Kashmir Reader, “Towards the end of 2020, the contractor stopped the work as he did not receive his pending dues from the government. The work on the health centre is almost complete but there is a need for water supply, electricity supply, and development of the ground where ambulance and staff of the health centre can park their vehicles.”
Wani said that the patients from his village visit the SDH in Magam for health care. “The Panchayat Ghar where the PHC is functioning from is quite far from our village,” he said.
The locals have urged the higher authorities to look into the matter. An official at the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) office told Kashmir Reader that this building has been listed as a “languishing project”.
“When the finance department will release the funds, the concerned agency will complete the pending construction of the health centre. After that, the building will be handed over to the health department,” the official said.
Block Medical Officer (BMO) Beerwah, Dr Javaid Ahmad Ganaie, told Kashmir Reader that most of the work on the PHC Aripathan is fully complete but there is a need for water and electricity supply.
“Necessary steps will be taken regarding this demand of the people and we also want the people to get health care facilities in the area. The government has provided this facility for the welfare of the people only,’’ Dr Ganaie said.

ARIF RASHID