Srinagar: A three-member delegation of Kashmiri politicians called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha here and demanded the restoration of the autonomous character of the Union Territory’s premier healthcare institute, SKIMS.
The delegation was led by National Conference president, Farooq Abdullah and included CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami (PAGD spokesperson) and PDP leader Mehboob Beg.
“We met the LG under Abdullah’s leadership. We submitted a memorandum about the SKIMS institute especially, and also other hospitals like Bone and Joint hospital and Children’s hospital. We sought his attention towards the SKIMS especially after the decision to take away whatever of its autonomy was there,” Tarigami told reporters.
He said the delegation demanded that the government restore the autonomous character of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), located in Soura area of Srinagar, immediately.
“We demanded the autonomous character of SKIMS be restored and the vacancies be fulfilled without any delay,” Tarigami said.
The reality was that if there is any reputed institution, offering medical service after the PGI Chandigarh, it was SKIMS, he added.
“Its stature is recognised across the country. But, today, hundreds of posts of doctors and paramedical staff are lying vacant. There are not many machines available for cancer care, and whatever are, are not in order. So, we wanted the attention of the LG towards this,” Tarigami said.
The CPI(M) leader said the delegation also demanded establishment of cancer institutes in Srinagar and Jammu to help the poor patients .
Tarigami said Sinha assured the delegation that the administration will look into the issues flagged in the memorandum and will take steps to fill the gaps.
The memorandum said the decision of the administration to divest SKIMS of its autonomous status has had an “adverse effect” on its decision-making process.
“Presently, the institution is facing a staffing deficit with hundreds of slots at various levels viz medical, paramedic and administrative positions lying vacant. There is a 50 percent shortage of all technical and nursing staff. The recruitment has not been conducted for the last seven years,” the memorandum said.
It said a total number of 1,201 posts of different categories including 115 faculty positions,149 gazetted posts, 870 non-gazetted and 67 positions of senior and junior residents were lying vacant at the institute.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman said that a delegation of Dr Farooq Abdullah, President JKNC, M.Y Tarigami, CPI(M) Central Committee Member and Dr Mehboob Beg, General Secretary, JKPDP called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhavan today.
They submitted a memorandum to the Lt Governor seeking his intervention on recruitment of doctors, paramedical staff at SKIMS, Srinagar and several other issues related to health sector, the spokesman said.
He said that LG assured the members of the delegation that the UT Administration is committed to health for all and manpower issue raised by the delegation will be addressed on priority and in a time bound manner and asserted that unprecedented health infrastructure has come up in J&K in the last 3 years.
“Due to our consistent efforts, today J&K has one of the best public health care facilities in the country. The UT administration is working with sensitivity to ensure common man has access to quality healthcare and our performance on 10 health parameters are better than national average, which is a testimony to our commitment of quality of life and transformation in health sector of Union Territory,” the spokesman quoted LG telling the delegation.
The spokesman said that LG disclosed that more than Rs. 7000 Crores have been spent strengthening health infrastructure and Rs. 881 Crore to upgrade the dilapidated infra in districts. With 2 new AIIMS, 7 new medical colleges, 5 new nursing colleges, upgradation of 10 nursing colleges and 2 Bone & Joint hospitals, Jammu Kashmir is redefining healthcare delivery system in the Country. 2 state-of-the-art cancer institutes are also coming up, one each in Jammu and Srinagar, and MoU with Tata Cancer Institute has been signed to provide best care and ensure trained manpower. The work on Bone & Joint Hospital, Srinagar has been expedited and is expected to be completed by end of this year.
Dialysis facilities are available in every District Hospital, besides universal health coverage of Rs Five Lakh is provided to every household of Jammu Kashmir under Ayushman Bharat-SEHAT Scheme. Around 98% population has access to Ayushman Bharat, which has proved to be a boon to the poor, marginalized section of society as well as the middle class. Earlier there was no facility for critical care ambulances, however, it is now available round the clock across the Union Territory.
“Accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for every citizen of J&K UT is our top priority,” the Lt Governor said.
