The Government Health and Wellness Centre at Lachampora, a remote village in the Upper Rajwar area of Handwara, is facing an acute shortage of staff and basic healthcare facilities, leaving residents struggling to access medical care.
Residents alleged that only a handful of employees have been posted at the centre and claimed that they are seldom available, causing inconvenience to people seeking treatment.
“The centre is in a deplorable condition and remains shut most of the time,” a resident said.
Residents said that in case of a medical emergency, they are often forced to hire private vehicles to reach the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Zachaldara or District Hospital Handwara for treatment.
The health centre caters to a large population but, according to residents, lacks adequate manpower, infrastructure and essential diagnostic facilities, limiting its ability to provide healthcare services.
The residents have urged Chief Medical Officer Kupwara Dr Zafar Akbar to intervene and ensure adequate staffing and basic facilities at the centre to address the difficulties faced by the local population.
Unisoo-Kuhroo road in shambles, commuters suffer
The seven-kilometre Unisoo-Kuhroo road is in a poor condition, causing considerable inconvenience to commuters and residents, locals said.
According to residents, the road has developed large potholes at several places, making travel difficult and increasing the time required to cover the stretch.
They said a journey that normally takes around 30 minutes now takes nearly an hour because of the deteriorated condition of the road.
“The PMGSY Department has taken us for a ride, compelling us to consider registering a protest. For the last several years, we have been requesting repairs to the road, but to no avail,” a resident said.
Residents have urged Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Handwara Javed Naseem Masoodi to intervene and ensure early repairs of the road, which they said serves more than 20,000 people.
