Kulgam, January 13: Patients attending District Hospital Kulgam are experiencing great problems because the facility’s digital X-ray machine has been out of commission for weeks.
Attendants and patients, some of whom travel considerable distances for medical attention, told the news agency that they have little choice but to attend private labs, which are both costly and time-consuming.
“We have no choice but to wait. We arrived from a remote area expecting to receive an X-ray here, but the machine isn’t working.
We are being asked to visit private labs, but the charges are prohibitively expensive,” said Mohammad Saleem, a patient.Not everyone can afford private clinics, he added, adding, “These tests not only drain us financially but also add to our mental stress.”
An attendant, Shazia Jan, stated, “My son has been experiencing terrible chest pain, and the doctor recommended an X-ray. Private clinics charge between Rs250 and Rs300. “Basic medical facilities are either obsolete or unavailable.
” Dr. A. G. Raina, Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Kulgam, has promised that steps are being taken to address the situation.
“The ancient X-ray machine, built in 2018 and functioning in PPP mode, has been down for a week. Engineers are working on making it functional, and it will be ready soon,” he told KNO.Raina said a DR system-based X-ray machine is being procured for the hospital as funds have already been released.
“We are in the process of acquiring the latest technology X-ray machine, and it will be functional in the hospital within two weeks,” he added—(KNO)
