Space Crunch and Lack of Medicine Supply Hit Patient Care at PHC Qaimoh, Kulgam

Sameer Ahmad

Kulgam: The patient’s care hits due to space crunch and allegedly lack of government medicine supply here in PHC Qaimoh Kulgam.

“Patient Care Impacted by Space Crunch and Alleged Medicine Shortages at PHC Qaimoh Kulgam. Reports reveal that patients are facing difficulties due to inadequate space and purportedly insufficient government medicine supply at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Qaimoh Kulgam. According to local sources, the PHC in Qaimoh Kulgam serves approximately 15 villages with a combined population of around 20 thousand people. The facility experiences a high influx of patients on a daily basis, but the challenges of limited space and reported deficiencies in government-provided medications are compromising patient care.

Established in 1967, the PHC was slated for improvement with the approval of a new building in 2007. Despite the government initiating the tender process in 2009, the construction of the PHC building remains incomplete, causing ongoing problems for both patients and staff. This unfinished infrastructure has resulted in patients receiving suboptimal care.

The space constraints at PHC Qaimoh Kulgam have even led to patients being referred to GMC Anantnag for further treatment, as confirmed by informed sources.

One concerned father shared his recent experience when his 9-year-old son fell ill. After consulting a doctor at PHC Qaimoh, he was prescribed medicines. However, upon reaching the facility’s pharmacy, he found only DNS (Dextrose Normal Saline) available, highlighting the reported medicine shortages.

When questioned about the space crunch and medicine supply issues, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Kulgam urged reporters to visit the PHC for a firsthand perspective before abruptly ending the call.”