Patients suffer due to absence of heating facilities at GMC Handwara hospital

Aatif Qayoom
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14 Dec 2025

Handwara, Dec 13: Patients and attendants at Associated Hospital GMC Handwara on Saturday raised serious concerns over the absence of heating facilities, saying the cold inside the hospital building has made their stay extremely difficult.

Azad Ahmad, an attendant, said it has become unbearable to even stand for a few minutes inside the hospital due to the freezing conditions. He said the lack of heating is directly affecting patients who are already weak and vulnerable.

Another attendant, Naseer Ahmad, told Rising Kashmir that there are no heating arrangements at all in the hospital. He said patients and attendants are forced to spend long hours and nights in extreme cold.

Ahmad, who accompanied a patient from Kralgund area, said they had stayed in the hospital for two nights and the cold conditions were unbearable. He urged the administration to take immediate steps, saying patients cannot wait for budget approvals while suffering.

Shabir Ahmad, a patient from Rajwar, said the cold wave has already tightened its grip and the situation will worsen as the harsh forty-day winter approaches.

He said the hospital’s failure to ensure heating facilities reflects mismanagement and neglect of basic patient care. He added that only a few air conditioners are installed in some sections, which are not sufficient to provide warmth.

Patients and attendants also complained about the non-availability of hospital blankets. They said this has added to their hardship, especially for patients coming from distant areas who have no other means to protect themselves from the cold.

However, the hospital administration said they are working to resolve the issue. Officials said a new transformer has been procured and it will be installed in coming days. They assured that the heating problem will be addressed soon.