SRINAGAR: District hospitals across the Kashmir Valley are grappling with a severe shortage of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan facilities, leaving patients with no alternative but to seek care in already overwhelmed hospitals in Srinagar.
According to information obtained by the news agency KNO, the absence of MRI services in government hospitals has created significant problems for patients who cannot afford private diagnostic centres. They are compelled to endure extended waiting periods due to the overwhelming demand at Super-Speciality Hospital Shireen Bagh and SKIMS Soura.
Patients from various parts of Kashmir have voiced their concerns, highlighting the inconvenience caused by long-distance travel and overcrowding in Srinagar hospitals.
They emphasised that the authorities must not overlook healthcare issues, particularly for economically disadvantaged individuals.
Officials have acknowledged the challenges faced by patients traveling from remote areas such as Macchil, Keran, Tangdhar, Gurez, Uri, Kangan, Keller, Aripal, DH Pora, Pahalgam, and others. They urge the government to prioritize this matter and actively seek solutions at the highest level to ensure that patients do not endure unnecessary suffering.
Financial constraints should not hinder the allocation of essential funds for these critical healthcare services, they emphasised.
Doctors have noted that the absence of MRI facilities in district hospitals compels patients to travel to Srinagar or private diagnostic centres, leaving financially vulnerable patients with no recourse but to endure interminable waits at government hospitals. “This delay in diagnosis and treatment has proven fatal for many,” noted a doctor.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, spokesperson for the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, acknowledged the government’s commitment to improving healthcare facilities for the people.
“While MRI services are currently unavailable in district hospitals, they are accessible in tertiary hospitals in Srinagar,” Dr Mushtaq stated.
He expressed optimism that in the future, such crucial facilities would be extended to new medical colleges and major district-level hospitals. (KNO)
