SRINAGAR: Five district hospitals in Kashmir lack CT-Scan facilities, posing significant challenges for local residents. The districts without CT-Scan facilities are Srinagar, Budgam, Bandipora, Ganderbal, and Shopian.
Health officials disclosed that JLNM Hospital in Srinagar currently lacks CT-Scan facilities. However, Srinagar residents have access to alternative hospitals to alleviate their difficulties.
An official mentioned that District Hospital Bandipora had approval for a CT-Scan machine three years ago, but it remains uninstalled, causing immense suffering for patients. The absence of this crucial equipment forces medical professionals to refer emergency and trauma patients to city hospitals, sometimes resulting in tragic outcomes.
District Hospital Ganderbal faces a similar situation, compelling patients to seek services from private diagnostic centers or city hospitals.
A health official in the district stated that approval for a CT-Scan machine at DH Ganderbal has been granted and is expected to be installed this month.
The situation is no different in Budgam, where patients must travel to Srinagar or private diagnostic centers due to the unavailability of CT-Scan facilities in the district hospital.
Similarly, District Hospital Shopian operates without a CT-Scan machine, forcing patients to be referred to other hospitals, primarily in Srinagar.
The official expressed concern about the financial burden on patients, noting that they usually have to rush to private labs in Srinagar for the procedure, which costs between Rs 2500 to Rs 3000 and is unaffordable for many underprivileged patients.
Residents from these districts have appealed to the administration to equip the hospitals with these crucial facilities to ease their plight.
In response to the issue, the spokesperson of the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), Dr Mir Mushtaq, assured that facilities for district hospitals in Ganderbal and Bandipora have been approved and will be installed soon.
He said plans are in progress to extend CT-Scan facilities to other hospitals in the near future.
“Currently, CT-Scan services are available in Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag, and Kupwara, with hopes for expansion to more hospitals in the coming months,” Dr Mushtaq said. (KNO)
