Health, the most important social service sector is having direct correlation with the welfare of the human being. However, in Kashmir it has not been able to meet the needs of the people. The availability of adequate health care facilities ,both in terms of equipment as well as manpower, is still a distant dream, there. Conflict has been going on in the valley since more than two decades. It has caused a tremendous increase in the number of patient .Also the underdevelopment of the health care sector is quite evident from the tragedies befalling every now & then to this sector. Today when we are still mourning the deaths of hundreds of infants in the sole specialized pediatric hospital a scam of spurious drugs has surfaced in and once again caused an obstruction in the restoration of faith of people in the state health care facilities. The number of health institution has substantially increased over the last decade but the services they are providing to people are not worth appreciation. Although with the advent of NRHM programme in the state the condition has somewhat improved. The negligence of state health department towards improving this sector is not decreasing. It can be visualized from the problems faced by people in getting proper treatment. On the one side government claims to be spending huge amount of money in improving women and child health but on the other side it is harsh reality that majority of health care centres dont have female gynecologist or even female doctors and not to talk of child specialists. Lack of specialized doctors and non-availability of fully equipped infrastructure at grass root levels leads to overburden on secondary and tertiary health care centres. In rural areas the health care facilities are in shambles. People being ignorant and less educated are continuously suffering due to the negligence of authorities. PHCs working at the grass root level are considered to be the cornerstone for providing health care services but in Kashmir especially in rural areas these centres are lacking many facilities like specialized female doctors, diagnostic facilities, proper electricity supply, proper sanitation, water supply etc. Also transportation facilitiy for patients to referal health care centres, which is more important in case of seriouness of patients is lacking (that is the ambulances ). Even if some centres have ambulances for referral, those are not well equipped as per emergency needs . Due to this inefficient referral system number of people are losing their lives especially in the cases of deliveries of pregnant ladies. This pathetic position does not end here. Even after facing all above hardships with respect to transportation ,when a patient somehow reaches the so called specialized hospitals with a hope of better treatment, over crowdedness in hospitals tortures them physically as well as economically.
In Kashmir the condition of private hospitals, clinics, nursing homes etc is not much different from the government sector. These private units have just become the business enterprises.Quality of services provided by these , in most cases, is unsatisfactory. In absence of reliable supervising agencies to keep a check on these private institutions, they are leaving no stone unturned in minting money from the people. Unregistered and illegal clinics are working without any fear.Even in case of being sealed by the authorities they easily move on by spending some money. Licenses are being issued illegally to chemists and drug outlets without checking their qualification or knowledge in this field.
Keeping in view the complexity of the issue there is dire need to take the steps to improve it. People of the valley need to be conscious towards this issue and openly call for a war against the authorities who are violating our basic right to live happy and healthy life. Otherwise the time will not be far when the number of people dying due to inefficient health care system will outnumber all other causes of death.
Sameena Nazir is Research Investigator, ICMR Project, Deptt of Sociology University of Kashmir, Srinagar Feedback: [email protected]
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