69 vacancies for doctors and staff strain patient care at District Hospital Pulwama

PULWAMA — The District Hospital Pulwama, catering to around 300 villages, is grappling with a severe shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, giving a tough time to hospital administrators.

The officials, while talking to the news agency KNO, said that the DH Pulwama not only caters to 300 villages of the district but the patients from Shopian and Budgam also visit here for treatment.

They said the hospital witnesses a huge rush of patients round the clock and it needs adequate staff to provide better healthcare services to them. “In the last few years, many doctors from the hospital were transferred but were not replaced till date,” they said.

While the people said there are better facilities available at the district hospital, they cited the shortage of doctors and other staff as the concern. “If the government will post adequate staff at the hospital, then the rush and referral of patients to tertiary care hospitals will decrease as well,” they said.

They have requested the Director of Health Services and Deputy Commissioner Pulwama to look into the matter.

The Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Pulwama, Dr. Ab Gani Dar said around 70 posts are vacant at the hospital. “We have already written to the concerned authorities in this regard and we hope the vacancies are filled soon,” he said, adding that 69 posts including 15 doctors are currently lying vacant.

“In this 200-bedded District Hospital Pulwama, all facilities are available for patients, and efforts are being made to enhance them further,” he said.