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Health facilities elude displaced Kashmiris

Health facilities elude displaced Kashmiris

Author: Nidhi Soni
Publication: http://www.kashmirtimes.com
Date: October 16, 2004

There are only 15 specialised doctors available for six  Kashmiri migrant camps currently operating in Jammu Division. Catering  to a population of over 43000 Kashmiri migrants, most of the camps  either do not have the required number of medical experts or do not have  enough.

Health officials have revealed that today migrants were suffering from  acute stress related diseases. Due to their displaced status both men  and women in equal number are becoming a victim of gastric ulcers,  psychiatric problems, blood pressure etc. Despite the will of the health  authorities to provide them with adequate treatment, they are unable to  do so due to lack of specialised doctors.

Data reveals that each doctor caters to atleast 30-40 patients in a  migrant camp. This is because the number of doctors are phenomenally  lesser than the required number. Medical records reveal that Nagrota  migrant camp has only four doctors which includes one orthopedics,  Muthi-I has five including a dental surgeon, Muthi-II has three,  including an orthopedicians, Palora-I has no specialized doctors but  five assistant surgeons, Palhora -II with only three doctors and no  specialized hand, Mishriwallah-I has four doctors including one dental  surgeon, Mishriwallah-II has only three doctors and no specialist.

It is most surprising that migrant camps at Udhampur, Kathua have only  one doctor and CPWD has none at all.

When questioned Chief Medical Officer, Vijay Gupta about the issue, he  stated that since the three mentioned areas were near Jammu Division  there was no need to deploy as many doctors. "The patients can come to  Jammu government hospitals if they require assistance. We any way do not  have the required strength of doctors and deploying the available ones  at these areas would not be reasonable."

It may be noted here that the displaced currently residing in migrant  camps are deprived of basic living conditions and are not well off to  arrange for good medical treatment. Their each visit to Jammu for health  purposes is something they cannot afford and they do not have the  facility of an ambulance in case of emergency.

But the Medical Officer does not agree to the fact. He stresses that  Jammu is not out of reach and migrants can easily afford to visit a  government hospital. On the issue of non-availability of an ambulance,  the official stated that the department does not own one since it's  under the control of the camp commander.

But it's not just the question of non availability of doctors in migrant  camps. Today the condition is such that despite the will of the Health  Directorate to provide diagnostic facilities to the migrants they are  unable to do so due to lack of funds and infrastructure.

Surprisingly, the Health Directorate has not received funds for the  current year and is dependent on last year's grant .As a result neither  can the department erect diagnostic facility centre and nor can it  purchase medical equipments like dental equipment, laboratory, freezers,  stationary etc.

Although the department claims that they have written to the concerned  authorities to provide them with the required material but as for now,  the material has not reached the department.
 


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