People in Drass demand basic healthcare facilities in hospitals

Drass (Jammu and Kashmir), August 1 (ANI): People in Jammu and Kashmir's Drass area have demanded basic healthcare facilities in the government hospitals, as they are facing difficulties in getting proper medical help.

There is a large shortfall of trained medical staff at the hospitals. The sub-district hospital of Drass has only two doctors in spite of having eight such posts.

Though the hospitals have machines, they are not used due to lack of manpower.

Drass's remoteness also makes it difficult for locals to travel to areas that have better hospitals.

"Drass is cut off from other areas and it is very difficult to travel to Kargil because of which, at the time of deliveries, we face many difficulties. So, I want to appeal to the government to provide full facilities with doctors," said Ahmad, a local.

There is also a great need of general physicians and specialists such as gynaecologists in the hospitals.

"We didn't have posts earlier and now posts have been created like dental, gynaecologists and physicians. Now we are providing doctors and we are also trying that we provide incentives to these doctors so that we can send them to other places also," said Rajendre Singh Chib, the Medical Education Minister.

During winters, Drass area of Kargil district remains cut off from the rest of the country for six months due to heavy snowfall at Zojila pass, and the misery of locals and patients increase, as they have to wait for six months for better treatment. (ANI)