Srinagar: In a high-level meeting Monday, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo had a comprehensive review of the functioning of the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura.
Present in the meeting were Secretary, Health & Medical Education (H&ME); Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD); Director, SKIMS; Principal, SKIMS Medical College; Chief Engineer (Central), R&B and other key officers from the Health department.
According to an official press release, the Chief Secretary articulated a clear vision for the future of SKIMS, stressing the imperative to exert every effort to expand the academic offerings as per the commitments made by SKIMS administration. He specifically called for rapid addition of seats to specialization courses, with a particular focus on the proposed 44 DM/ MCH courses and a substantial increase of 130 MD/MS/ PGD seats across 16 critical specialties. He asked to ensure these expanded opportunities are available to students as early as the next academic year.
Beyond academics, the Chief Secretary strongly urged the hospital administration to undertake a significant overhaul and upgrade of services in both the Emergency and Outpatient Department (OPD) sections. He asked for submission of high-impact proposals detailing plans for augmenting the infrastructure in these critical patient care areas, aimed at providing a much better experience and outcomes for the patients.
Dulloo asked the officers to ensure that the Liver Transplant Unit becomes fully functional by the end of this calendar year, a crucial step in advanced medical care for the region. He also advised the administration to develop and present proposals for establishment of other such specialized units, clearly outlining their anticipated outcomes and the tangible benefits they would bring to patient care at SKIMS.
Addressing the vital aspect of human resources, the Chief Secretary meticulously reviewed the current faculty and staff positions within the college, paying close attention to those vacancies that have been referred to various recruitment agencies for filling. He directed the Health department to take up the issue of filling these vacant posts on a priority basis with the respective recruiting agencies.
He emphasized the institute’s core objective of carrying out quality medical research. In this context, he specifically highlighted the need for research into the reasons behind the observed high prevalence of cancer in the region compared to past trends.
Secretary, H&ME, Dr. Syed Abid Rashid Shah, presented a comprehensive update on the status of faculty recruitment and the current positions of paramedical staff. He informed the meeting that a significant step forward had been taken with the revival of 105 faculty positions at SKIMS, which have subsequently been forwarded to the Public Service Commission for expediting recruitment against them.
The Secretary highlighted the achievement of finalization of recruitment rules for all non-gazetted posts across every medical college in the region, a crucial regulatory framework that had been pending for decades.
Director, SKIMS, Dr. Mohammed Ashraf Ahangar, presented an overarching picture of the institution’s functioning and the vast array of services it offers. He recounted SKIMS’s impressive journey of growth and transformation since its establishment in 1982, when it began with a modest capacity of just 500 beds.
Dr. Ahangar elucidated upon various measures taken by the institute in adherence to earlier directives issued by the Chief Secretary. He detailed the ambitious expansion plans of the institution aimed at achieving unparalleled excellence in advancing medical care throughout the region. He further informed the meeting about significant investments in medical technology, revealing that the institute had procured machines worth approximately Rs 94 crore in the past year alone, a substantial boost to its existing machinery to enhance patient care capabilities.
The Director also provided insights into the institution’s forward-looking proposals to substantially enhance the capacity of both the medical college and hospital. These included establishment of new Centres of Excellence in critical areas such as Cancer Care and organ transplant, alongside the development of futuristic departments dedicated to areas like Clinical Research, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medicine and Medical Health. He highlighted plans for developing an IT-based structured referral system to streamline patient flow and improve efficiency.
The meeting also included a thorough review of ongoing projects with particular attention to the timeframe for full functionality of the State Cancer Institute located within SKIMS premises, alongside an assessment of other services offered to patients there.
Finally, Principal, SKIMS Medical College, Bemina, Dr Fazlul Qadir Parray, provided valuable insights into the functioning of the college under his purview and the current status of new infrastructure raised there under the ‘Flood Recovery Project’.
