Former Councillor flags healthcare crisis at CHC Chiktan, seeks immediate action

KARGIL: Former Executive Councillor for Education, Zakir Hussain, has sought the intervention of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena for the immediate deployment of doctors at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Shakar Chiktan, alleging that the subdivision has been grappling with an acute shortage of medical personnel for a prolonged period despite assurances from the administration.

In a statement issued on Friday, Hussain said residents of the subdivision continue to face considerable hardship due to the shortage of doctors. He alleged that no medical officers had joined the CHC despite an assurance by National Health Mission (NHM) Managing Director Tushar Anand during his visit to Kargil that two doctors would be posted at the health centre.

However, an NHM appointment order dated June 18, 2026, reviewed by this newspaper, shows that two contractual MBBS doctors—Dr. Roqiya Banoo and Dr. Stanzin Lakmon—were posted to CHC Chiktan and directed to report for duty within seven days from the date of issuance of the order.

The statement, however, does not clarify whether the doctors have since joined their assigned posts or whether administrative or logistical reasons have delayed their deployment. There was no immediate response from the Health Department regarding the status of their joining.

Seeking urgent intervention, Hussain appealed to the Lieutenant Governor to ensure that adequate medical personnel are deployed at CHC Shakar Chiktan without further delay, stating that uninterrupted healthcare services are essential for addressing routine medical needs as well as emergencies in the remote subdivision.