Arjumand Wani
PULWAMA, June 5: The general public has demanded Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan facility at Government District Hospital (DH) Pulwama.
The district hospital Pulwama, having five PG departments located on Srinagar-Nowgam highway is main critical care hospital for both Pulwama and Shopian districts. Despite being a vital institution, DH is functioning without MRI scan, sources said.
“We have to face hardships as we travel to Srinagar 30 kms from here for the scan. If this facility was available in our hospital, money and time both would be saved,” said Mohammad Ibrahim, a local resident of Pulwama
Abdul Rahim Chopan, an attendant from Kellar village of Shopian district said, “MRI test costs me 3000 in a private lab while I could have got it done for not more Rs 1500 at a government hospital.”
He said that, “It’s very difficult to travel with a patient and find a lab. It will be very easy for us if the MRI is set-up at DH Pulwama,” said Chopan, while talking to Kashmir Despatch.
He further added that DH Pulwama is nearest to his residence and it is easy for him to travel to that place. According to an official, the hospital caters the people of two districts Pulwama and Shopian.
Medical Superintendent Pulwama Dr. Ab Gani, told Kashmir Despatch, “Comparing to Computed Tomography (CT) scan, MRI is a bigger project. As of now we don’t have identified a space yet for the project, but it is a need of the hour. The government should take notice of this pressing demand immediately so that people could overcome their difficulty,” he said.
Pertinently the CT scan in the hospital was established by an NGO, “Doctor’s for You” last year in this hospital.
Important to mention here is that none of the district hospitals in south Kashmir has an MRI facility. Geographically significant DH Pulwama could play a pivotal role after achieving the facility.
The hospital was made functional on 8th of April 1988. In 2014 a separate casualty block and 100 bedded IPD block was constructed which remains functional round the clock.
