Srinagar: The J&K High Court Tuesday closed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking preservation of space for children and female patients at SKIMS Medical College Srinagar, with an observation calling for strengthening of facilities in the children and maternity hospitals in the Union Territory.
A suo moto action was taken by the court in 2019 on a representation by one Malik Sajid, president Initiative for Peace and Development. The representation sought preservation of space for children and female patients including pregnant women at the College Hospital.
The matter was then registered as a PIL stressing that women and children were facing difficulties while approaching the SKIMS Medical College Hospital for treatment.
The Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education Department, filed a report before the court which claimed that a separate pediatrics hospital having specialties like pediatric surgery, pediatric cardiology, pediatric oncology, pediatric gastroenterology, etc., was being established at Bemina, near Hajj House, Srinagar.
Two new maternity hospitals of 200 beds’ capacity each were sanctioned by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, one each at Srinagar and Jammu, to strengthen the maternity-related services in the J&K. These sites were finalized at Bemina, Srinagar and Govt. Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, the report said.
It said the sites for both these projects – the maternity hospital and pediatrics hospital – were identified adjacently at Bemina, Srinagar.
The Commissioner’s report further explained that while the progress of execution of maternity hospital in Srinagar was advancing towards its completion, the Principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar mooted a proposal to convert the complete complex of 200-bedded maternity hospital and 300-bedded pediatrics hospital into a full- fledged 500-bedded pediatrics hospital.
The reason for conversion being that the maternity-related services in the Lalla Ded Hospital Srinagar have been substantially strengthened by way of construction of additional 200-bedded block which is now in a functional mode.
Further, another 200-bedded block has also been approved under World Bank funding for Lalla Ded Hospital Srinagar, raising the existing bed strength from 500 beds to 900 beds, informed the report.
“The status report by the Financial Commissioner satisfies the requirements for care of both children and women so far as the medical facilities are concerned,” observed a bench of Chief Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul.
The bench closed the PIL with the observation that the authorities will strengthen the existing facilities in these hospitals for both the children and women in the best advancement of medical system.
