Pulwama’s Arihal village lacks proper space for PHC

PULWAMA — A Primary Health Centre (PHC) is functioning from a three-room Panchayat in Arihal village of Pulwama district.

Locals from the village said that several years ago, the foundation stone for a new building was laid but it has not been completed. They said that the PHC is currently functioning in the Panchayat building with just three rooms, due to which most equipment of the hospital is defunct.

They said that there is no facility available other than first aid and locals are forced to visit District Hospital Pulwama for even minor ailments. They added that 95 per cent of work in the new building has been completed but due to unknown reasons no work has been done in the last two years.

Locals said that they have brought the issue to the notice of higher-ups several times but nothing has happened on the ground. They requested higher-ups to look into the matter at the earliest and complete the under-construction building as soon as possible.

An official working in the PHC said that due to lack of space, many machines at the hospital are defunct. He said they were asked to shift to the new building but the building is incomplete.

He said that the concerned agency has been directed to complete the new building at the earliest which is around 95 per cent complete, after which the hospital will start functioning there.