Locals Face Severe Hardships, Appeal to Government for Immediate Action
RAJOURI SEPTEMBER 13:-In a glaring example of official apathy, the New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) in Smote village of Sub-Division Kotranka, District Rajouri, has been functioning without a permanent doctor for the past ten years. Locals say the centre exists only on paper and fails to provide even the most basic healthcare services.
Residents, while speaking to journalists, voiced grave concern over the situation. Despite being designated as an NTPHC, the facility remains practically defunct—lacking doctors, adequate medical staff, and essential infrastructure.
Mohammad Ashraf, a local villager, expressed his frustration:
“For even minor ailments like fever or injuries, we are forced to travel 20 to 30 kilometers to get medical help. In emergencies, many patients don’t survive the journey.”
The absence of ambulance services, coupled with the lack of a lady doctor, has made life particularly difficult for women, children, and the elderly.
The villagers have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, and senior officials of the Health Department to immediately appoint doctors and supporting staff at the Smote Health Centre. They have also urged the government to upgrade the local healthcare infrastructure.
Warning of intensifying anger, residents said that if the issue continues to be ignored, they will be left with no option but to launch public protests.
