BHADARWAH, Sep 28: Expressing grave concern over a looming healthcare vacuum in Jammu and Kashmir’s remote Chenab valley, regional political leaders and civil society organizations have jointly appealed to the Union Territory administration to grant a two years service extension to Dr. Sandeep Kotwal, a senior physician at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Bhadarwah.
Dr. Kotwal, a widely respected medical professional and native of the area is slated to reach superannuation shortly. His impending retirement has triggered widespread anxiety among residents and local leadership over the continuity of essential medical care in the under-resourced facility.
Weighing in on the crisis, Janata Dal (Secular) State President and socio-political leader Mast Nath Yogi warned that the departure of a veteran clinician would severely cripple healthcare delivery in the mountainous Additional District.
“Dr. Sandeep Kotwal is a son of the soil. Throughout his tenure at SDH Bhadarwah, he has served the public with utmost honesty and professional integrity,” Yogi said.
Highlighting systemic deficits, the JD(S) chief noted that the hospital is already grappling with an acute shortage of specialized doctors, paramedical personnel and advanced medical machinery.
“SDH Bhadarwah is already under-resourced. If a senior physician like Dr. Kotwal retires at this juncture, the general public will face immense hardships in accessing basic healthcare. The vacuum created by his departure will be difficult to fill given the current scarcity of specialist doctors,” Yogi cautioned making a fervent appeal to Health Minister Sakina Itoo to intervene on a priority basis.
The appeal has garnered strong backing from regional advocacy groups. Zaffar Hussain Wani, President of the Social Welfare Organisation of India (SWOOI) and the All India Peoples Welfare Society (AIPWS) also pressed the government for urgent administrative intervention.
“I strongly request Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Health Minister Sakina Itoo to order an early extension in the service tenure of present Physician Specialist Dr. Sandeep Kotwal to prevent a void that is likely to be created post-retirement,” Wani stated.
Wani further stressed that beyond individual extensions, the government must prioritize a comprehensive revamp of both infrastructure and medical manpower to fortify healthcare systems in far-flung and geographically challenging terrains like Bhadarwah.
Local stakeholders maintain that granting a formal service extension remains vital to safeguarding public health interests while the administration works on long term deployments for remote regions.