Kulgam : With a population exceeding 420,000, Kulgam district is grappling with a severe healthcare shortfall due to the absence of a specialized maternity and pediatric care facility. Residents and medical experts, led by Dr. Rizwan Rumi, have launched an urgent appeal to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the Health Department to establish a dedicated hospital at the district headquarters. Currently, thousands of pregnant women and infants from remote, winter-isolated belts like D.H. Pora, Aharbal, and Manzgam are forced to make perilous emergency journeys to Srinagar or Anantnag, risking critical delays during life-threatening complications.
Beyond relieving transit risks and cutting steep travel expenses for vulnerable families, local authorities emphasize that the project is both practical and strategically crucial for South Kashmir. Suitable government land is already available in Kulgam, enabling immediate development under national initiatives like the National Health Mission or Ayushman Bharat. Once operational, the facility would significantly reduce overcrowding at tertiary hubs like Lal Ded Hospital and GMC Anantnag while serving neighboring areas in Shopian and Pulwama, creating local healthcare jobs, and drastically lowering maternal and infant mortality rates across the region.
