Despite significant government initiatives aimed at enhancing medical facilities for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, many patients continue to face considerable difficulties in accessing timely and adequate healthcare due to persistent shortages of medical and paramedical staff.
The Agha Syed Yusuf Memorial Hospital, the primary healthcare institution serving a population exceeding 5.37 million in the Budgam district, has been grappling with a prolonged shortage of doctors, nurses and essential paramedical personnel.
Vacancies exist across various positions, including senior supervisors, pharmacy heads, junior nurses, lab technicians, electricians, theatre staff, health assistants, technicians, and multi-tasking staff.
Notably, the hospital presently operates without a single appointed pharmacist, despite repeated retirements in this category.
Infrastructure delays have further exacerbated the situation. The hospital’s main building is still incomplete, causing inconvenience and hardship for patients.
Of the 106 sanctioned posts, 53 remain vacant. While the administration and government have made several attempts to address these staffing gaps, the problem persists, impacting the quality of healthcare delivery.
Local residents have also raised concerns over the lack of parking facilities, which contributes to severe congestion and hampers patient access. Additionally, the hospital is still missing several basic specialty services, depriving patients of comprehensive care and forcing many to seek treatment elsewhere.
In a related development, the foundation stone for a new District Hospital Complex was laid on September 18, 2023. However, due to delays, construction remains incomplete.
At the event, held in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the then Chief Engineer had assured that the hospital building would be finished within two years. The new facility is planned to have 125 beds, and approximately 24 crore rupees were approved by the National Health Mission (NHM) about a year ago to support the project. Despite this, progress has been slow, drawing criticism from the public and renewed calls for the government to expedite the construction.
Medical Superintendent Dr. Ijaz Ahmed Khan acknowledged the difficulties caused by staff shortages but expressed optimism that these challenges would be alleviated once the new hospital building is operational. He also indicated ongoing efforts to expand patient facilities within the hospital—(KNO)
