By | Meer Iqbal
Kupwara: Patients in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district continue to suffer due to the non-functional CT scan machine at SDH Kupwara, which has remained out of service for more than a week. The unavailability of this essential diagnostic facility has forced many to seek scans at private clinics, where the procedure costs ₹2,500, placing a significant financial burden on economically weaker patients.
Local residents have expressed frustration over the slow progress of repair work, urging authorities to take swift action. “The CT scan machine frequently malfunctions, yet the administration has not replaced it with a new one. This negligence is causing unnecessary hardship,” a resident complained.
Addressing the issue, the Medical Superintendent (MS) of SDH Kupwara acknowledged the problem and assured that repairs would be completed soon. “A technical glitch occurred in the CT scan machine last Saturday. An engineer from the same company traveled from Delhi to inspect the issue. He has assured us that the fault will be rectified next week, hopefully within a few days,” he stated.
SDH Kupwara serves thousands of patients, including those from remote areas such as Karnah, Keran, Machil, Budnamal, Chowkibal, Kumkadi, and Jumagund. The lack of a functional CT scan machine has been particularly detrimental to accident victims and neurological patients, who urgently require imaging services.
