Locals Urge Health Minister Skeena Itoo to Intervene

Lone khalid cni

Kulgam, , CNS: Patients in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district are facing severe hardships due to the non-availability of key diagnostic facilities, including MRI, TORCH, and thyroid profile tests, at the District Hospital Kulgam, forcing many to turn to costly private centres.

Mudasir Ahmad, a local patient, said he was advised to undergo an MRI, but with no facility at the hospital, he had to visit a private diagnostic centre and pay Rs 4,000–5,000. “Many patients can’t afford this. Their treatment is getting delayed,” he said.

A doctor at the hospital, wishing anonymity, stressed the urgent need for an MRI machine. “It’s crucial for diagnosing internal conditions with precision,” he said.

Pregnant women are also at risk due to the absence of TORCH tests, vital for detecting infections that could harm both mother and baby. “Without it, we’re left in the dark,” said Samreena Jan, an expecting mother.

The lack of thyroid testing has similarly delayed diagnoses for many, leaving patients to suffer fatigue, mood swings, and other symptoms without clarity.

While these tests are supposed to be low-cost in government hospitals, private labs charge heavily, and their reliability is often questioned. Locals have appealed to Health Minister Skeena Itoo to ensure these critical diagnostic services are made available at the hospital to ease the burden on the poor. (CN)