Abrar A. Mattoo
SRINAGAR, March 13: On 10, April 2019, Gita Mittal, the then Chief Justice of J&K inaugurated ‘Ahata-e-Waqar’ a daycare and recreational facility for senior citizens at uptown Chanapora, Srinagar.
The facility was set up by the government of J&K at Public Health Centre Chanapora, in collaboration with the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSA) Srinagar and directorate of social welfare, Kashmir.
Around less than a year later, at the onset of the year 2020, the arrival of the covid-19 pandemic displaced the residents of ‘Ahata-e-Waqar’, and the directorate of health, Kashmir, took over the facility to transform it into a Covid-19 hospital. Now, around twelve months later, and despite the arrival of the covid-19 vaccine, the ambiguity still prevails whether the older people would be able to reclaim ‘Ahata-e-Waqar’.
“All the other major hospitals in Kashmir have been de-notified, therefore, it appears that until the pandemic is over, this facility might have to remain a Covid-hospital, to cater to the Covid-positive patients of the valley. Nevertheless, we’d still await the guidelines of the higher officials,” said Dr. Iqbal Fateh-Khwan, Nodal Officer Budgam, and in-charge of the Covid-hospital Chanapora to Kashmir Despatch.
The Covid hospital Chanapora has insurmountable feats to its credit, especially when it comes to dealing with the Covid-positive pregnant ladies. Due to the decrease in Covid cases, it receives occasional patients; sometimes there are not more than one or two, or none at all.
Although, it’s not right to deprive the elderly people registered at Ahata-e-Waqar, over such a minimal output of the Covid-hospital in recent times, yet still, the authorities are apprehensive when it comes to opening the facility to the people for whom it was originally meant.
According to Mohammad Ashraf Akhoon, District Social Welfare Officer Srinagar as per Kashmir Despatch said, “The guidelines of Covid-19 are such that people who are above 70 are advised to stay at home, practice social distancing, work from home, etcetera. This is why we have closed the facility since last year.”
Mr. Akhoon observed that the arrival of vaccines might not do much, because what it does is that it merely increases immunity. “The SOPs are still meant to be followed. But that cannot happen at Ahata-e-Waqar. It is a recreational daycare old age home, which means that lots of elderly personnel would assemble at one place and do recreational activities. Since SOP’s might not have much scope, opening the facility is very dangerous for a most vulnerable group.”
At Ahata-e-Waqar, senior citizens could get involved in a lot of activities. This place has a functional library that includes books on the discourses of religion, philosophy, etcetera for the senior citizens. The facility also has a fully furnished hall fitted with AC and heating system. There are computers, LCD TV, and other tools of recreational recourse for the elderly at Ahata-e-Waqar. The government has kept several staff members available at this center along with para-legal volunteers from District Legal Services Authority Srinagar.
Some retainer and penal lawyers are also available to assist senior citizens. Paralegal volunteers can help senior citizens to get enlisted for various Government schemes, old-age pension, drafting of petitions against abuse, and file applications etc.
Above all, senior citizens can get regular health check-ups at Ahata-e-Waqar as specialist doctors and physiotherapists are readily available.
“I live with my son and his wife in the vicinity, they are both working, and their three children attend school. During the lockdown, they were all home, but now that workplaces and schools have started functioning, and all my younger family members have started to leave home for their respective places, I remain alone at home during the day. Ahata-e-Waqar was a very safe option for me both in terms of my health and in regard of the external threats,” said Ghulam Ahmad, an elderly person who used to previously visit the centre during the day, before the same was turned into a Covid-hospital.
The beneficiaries of Ahata-e-Waqar, whether be that the children of the elderly people who used to attend the place during the day, or the elderly people themselves, have all been evoking the government to open the daycare recreational home again to the elderly people, but the government has refused to meditate on that suggestion as of now. “Once all the sections of society are vaccinated and guidelines would change by the virtue of that deed, we’d be able to function again at Ahata-e-Waqar,” Mr. Akhoon added.
