Zaffer Iqbal
Uri, Oct 1 (GNS): Patient care at Primary Health Centre Boniyar in this frontier town is in limbo as concerned CMO office in district is yet to return the two ambulances, taken in early March this year for COVID19 duty.
An official in the knowhow of the things told GNS that in early March this year, two ambulances of PHC Boniyar were attached with the office of CMO Baramulla following the latter’s directions, however, the vehicles are yet to be returned back even after almost seven months.
Maintaining that the concerned Block Medical Officer (BMO) Boniyar has given several missives to the CMO office to relieve the vehicles, however, as per the official, the requests are yet to materialise as the vehicles continue to remain with the latter’s office.
“I want to state that two ambulances, EECO: JK05F-9923 of (PHC Burnate) SUMO: JK05B-0537(PHC Boniyar) on your verbal directions were sent to your office during Covid-19 in March 20. As your good self is aware that we have full fledged Covid-19 dedicated hospital working 24×7 in Medical Block Boniyar and have 5 ambulances for approximately 80 thousand population, due to which sometimes we are not able to provide services to the patients due to non-availability of ambulances,” reads a letter by BMO Boniyar to concerned CMO office, of which a copy lies with GNS.
“Therefore I request your good self, to kindly relieve both ambulances along with driver Aijaz Ahmad Khan purely in the interest of patient care,” it reads further.
In absence of proper ambulance services’, the locals have been facing immense hardships. “Many a times, the patients referred to Baramulla or Srinagar hospitals for specialized treatment have to arrange the transport on their own instead of getting it arranged from the hospital adminstration itself”, Irfan Ahmad, a local said.
When contacted, BMO Boniyar Dr. Parvaiz Masoodi acknowledged the matter and said, “I have requested the CMO Baramulla to send back those ambulances”, adding “We hope to get them back sooner than later.”
Meanwhile, Director Health Services Kashmir, Samir Matoo said that “the issue will be looked into for its early redressal.” (GNS)
