Srinagar, Jan 9: Tall claims of better healthcare in state go haywire when in a bizarre incident a 26-year-old woman in remote Kupwara village gave birth to a baby outside a local hospital in extreme weather condition on Thursday as the hospital was found locked and its staff missing.
"My pregnant wife was in severe labour pain early morning. I along with my brother and some neighbors took her on shoulders towards Public Health Centre (PHC) Kukroosa as the roads in the area are still covered with snow and traffic is not plying", Shehzad Ahmed Mir, a resident of Zafar Khani Sarmarg in Handwara Tehsil told GNS while recalling the painful experiences of his expecting better half. "To further compounding our woes, they were stopped by army trooper at Harkerpora as there was crackdown in the area for over a hour, he lamented. Mir further bemoaned that as they reached to the Public Health Centre (PHC) there was no one to attend the patient and to our surprise the PHC was found locked.
Finding the health center locked, the angry attendants vandalized the PHC and smashed the locks of some wards. In the meantime, the pregnant lady developed severe labour pain and then some locals brought blankets informed local ladies who rushed to spot immediately and facilitated her to give birth a baby outside the hospital, he added. When contacted, Chief Medical Officer, Kupwara, Dr Aleem, told GNS that the medical staff reached late to the PHC as they were stopped by the army in the crackdown.
"Yes the Joginbagh, Kalipora, Harkerpora localities of village Kukroosa were under cordon as we has some inputs about the presence of militants in the area," Commanding Officer of 6 RR, Parveen Pahal said. He however contested the claims that they have stopped any patient and said, "We didn't stop the patient instead we (army) helped them to reach the hospital.
When contacted, District Commissioner Kupwara, Itrat Hussain said that he will look into the matter and will take action against the persons found responsible. |
