Budgam, Dec 3: While the work on PHC Aripathan village of Beerwah tehsil in central Kashmir’s Budgam district has almost been completed, the Primary Health Centre still functions from a panchayat ghar where most of the facilities are unavailable, due to which patients from the village and its surrounding areas face a lot of problems. 

The locals from the village told Rising Kashmir that the construction of the Primary Health Centre building began in 2017.

“The primary health centre for the village was allotted by the government in 2009, and it was initially made functional from a rented accommodation,” Rouf Ahmad Bhat, a local from the Aripathan, said. 

He said after the owner of the house did not receive rent from the concerned department, the primary health centre was shifted to the panchayat ghar of the village. “It still functions from there, in four rooms,” he said.

Riyaz Ahmad, another resident, said, “Presently 14,000 people from eight villages – Aripathan, Hazerpora, Warhama, Kandhama, Gomboora, Ichama, and others – directly depend on this health centre,” he said.

He said the work on the PHC was stopped in 2020 and was never restarted. “Still it is almost complete. The PHC only needs water and electricity supplies, and development of the ground," Riyaz said. 

The locals said that due to the lack of facilities at the PHC, most of the patients from the village prefer to visit the sub-district hospitals in Beerwah and Magam. “But we want our PHC to be functional from the designated building that too with all basic facilities,” a group of ladies said.

They said the government should take necessary steps to complete the pending work of the PHC so that the people of the village get relief.

Block Medical Officer (BMO) Beerwah Dr Javaid Ahmad Ganaie said the building has not yet been handed over to the health department. 

“We are trying our best to ensure that the patients get proper treatment and facilities, which is the basic responsibility and duty of the medical staff and doctors,” Dr Javaid said.