Kupwara, Aug 21. Locals of Karnah in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district staged a protest on Thursday against the shortage of specialist doctors in the local hospital, alleging that the administration has failed to address the persistent healthcare crisis in the remote border area.
Protesters assembled outside the Sub-District Hospital, Tangdhar, raising slogans and demanding immediate deployment of doctors. They said that the hospital, which caters to a large population living in the far-flung Karnah valley, lacks essential specialists such as physicians, surgeons, gynecologists, and pediatricians.
The agitating residents complained that patients, including emergency cases, are forced to travel long distances to Kupwara or Srinagar for treatment, which often puts lives at risk. “Karnah remains cut off for several months during winter, yet the hospital is without basic specialist care. This is sheer negligence towards the people of this border belt,” said one protester.
The locals urged the health department and district administration to take immediate steps to fill the vacant posts and strengthen healthcare facilities. They also warned that if their demands are ignored, they will intensify the protest in the coming days.
Officials from the health department acknowledged the shortage and assured that steps are being taken to address the issue. [KNT]
