Muneeb Nazeer
Srinagar, Sept 14: The Office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kulgam on Monday strongly refuted reports claiming that various Public Health Centres (PHCs) in the district have remained closed for the past six days amid the ongoing NHM issue.
In an official rebuttal, as per news agency JKNS, the CMO Kulgam termed the allegations “completely baseless, factually incorrect and highly misleading,” clarifying that no PHC, health institution or hospital under the Health & Medical Education Department in the district has been closed due to the ongoing NHM issue.
It said all health institutions are functioning and providing healthcare services to the public as per prescribed arrangements, while emergency and essential healthcare services are being maintained round the clock.
The CMO said patients continue to receive medical attention at concerned health facilities and rejected the claim that residents have been compelled to undertake lengthy journeys due to closure of PHCs.
The district health administration, it said, has been closely monitoring the functioning of all health institutions and has put in place necessary administrative and manpower arrangements to ensure continuity of essential healthcare services.
The office also objected to the publication and circulation of what it described as unverified claims regarding the functioning of government health institutions, urging media representatives to verify such allegations with competent authorities before publication.
The public has been advised not to rely on unverified reports or social media messages and to follow official communications issued by the Health Department and district health administration.
The CMO reiterated that the Health Department remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services in Kulgam, with officers and staff directed to ensure that patient care, particularly emergency and essential services, remains unaffected.
“Any report contrary to the above factual position is strongly refuted and may be treated as incorrect and misleading,” the official rebuttal stated. (JKNS)
