Banihal , Dec 25: Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Banihal Sajjad Shaheen on Thursday visited the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Banihal to review the availability of medical facilities and the overall functioning of the hospital. During the visit, the MLA announced the release of funds from his own allocation for carrying out essential works aimed at strengthening hospital infrastructure.
As part of the initiative, Sajjad Shaheen sanctioned an amount of Rs 7.2 lakh for the construction of a safety tank, which is expected to improve basic facilities and ensure better services for patients.
Speaking on the occasion, the Banihal MLA strongly criticised the former MLA Banihal and former Congress chief for J&K, terming their allegations regarding shortage of doctors at the hospital as baseless and contrary to ground realities. He said that such statements were being made without verifying facts and only to remain in the public eye after being rejected by the people.
Clarifying the situation at SDH Banihal, Sajjad Shaheen stated that two specialist gynaecologists are presently posted at SDH Banihal, out of which one lady doctor is on leave, while the other, Dr Shabir, has been performing his duties diligently for the past two and a half months. During this period, around 40 surgeries have been conducted and over 200 normal deliveries successfully carried out. He further informed that a physician was appointed just a day earlier, and facilities like CT scan and dialysis services will be made available soon.
The MLA accused certain Congress leaders of indulging in irresponsible statements to malign the image of Banihal hospital unnecessarily. He emphasized that SDH Banihal is among the highest OPD load hospitals in Ramban district, which itself reflects public trust in the availability of doctors and facilities. Reiterating his commitment, Sajjad Shaheen assured that providing quality healthcare to the people of Banihal remains his top priority and all necessary steps will continue to be taken in this regard.
