For patients in remote villages of north Kashmir, who had difficulty accessing critical healthcare in urban hospitals, North End Hospital in Pattan has become a life-saver, especially for those seeking treatment under the government’s healthcare scheme.
Reaching Srinagar for medical treatment was always a daunting task for patients in villages. Patients who took ill suddenly or showed signs of heart attack used to succumb on the way to hospitals in Srinagar. But things have changed and patients are getting treated on time, thanks to North End Hospital.
The hospital in Pattan village of Baramulla district is a beacon of hope for the villagers. It is the first and only hospital in north Kashmir that runs a cardiac catheterisation lab.
Patients from villages around Pattan can easily access the hospital as it is very near to them and provides all facilities. The 25-bedded hospital offers free treatment under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) Golden Card scheme.
Earlier people had to go to urban areas for treatment, spending money on transport and accommodation. But now they prefer to be admitted here without charge.
The hospital provides free food, medication, accommodation and other basic facilities under the Golden Card scheme. Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, North End Hospital (NEH) provides crucial cardiac care free of cost – a blessing for the less privileged who cannot afford treatment elsewhere.
Over the past six months, the hospital has saved more than 15 lives after they suffered heart attacks. The doctors at NEH have performed surgeries on more than 700 patients during this time.
Every day the hospital echoes with stories of lives saved and grateful families. With each passing day, NEH continues to fulfil its mission of providing accessible and affordable healthcare to people in rural Kashmir.
The lead image on top shows a medical practitioner at work in North End Hospital in Pattan, Jammu and Kashmir.
Suhail Bhat, a multimedia journalist from Kashmir, is a Village Square Fellow 2023-24.
