SRINAGAR: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo today held a comprehensive review meeting to assess the overall performance, functioning, and infrastructure development of the Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) at Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, and Handwara.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Health and Medical Education, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; MD JKMSCL, Principals and Medical Superintendents of all GMCs, Director Finance/Planning Health and Medical Education department, Chief Engineer R&B, South Kashmir/Central Kashmir/North Kashmir, Chief Engineer Mechanical and other senior officers of the Health and Medical Education department.
During the review, the Minister took a detailed appraisal of academic performance, patient care services, manpower position, and the status of ongoing infrastructure projects in all four institutions.
While reviewing performance and progress on ongoing infrastructure projects at GMCs, the Minister highlighted that GMCs are the backbone of the region’s tertiary healthcare network and must deliver high-quality education and patient services while maintaining transparency and accountability in their functioning.
“These medical colleges are not only centres of academic excellence but also vital institutions for delivering accessible and affordable healthcare to the people. Our focus is on ensuring that every GMC functions efficiently and provides modern facilities to patients and students alike,” Sakeena Itoo said.
Taking stock of ongoing infrastructural works at these institutions, the Minister directed the concerned executing agencies to expedite all pending works to ensure full operationalization of all hospital services at the earliest. She underlined the need for better coordination between the College Administrations and Public Works department (R&B) to remove bottlenecks delaying project completions.
The Minister also directed all executing agencies to ensure strict adherence to quality parameters, safety standards, and project timelines. She instructed the department to regularly monitor progress and submit regular status reports.
While reviewing other aspects of these vital healthcare institutions, the Minister emphasized on the importance of human resource development, skill upgradation of medical and paramedical staff, and adoption of new technologies to improve healthcare delivery. She directed the officers to prioritize patient satisfaction, transparency in procurement and adherence to biomedical waste management norms.
She stressed on the importance of maintaining proper sanitation and waste management within the hospitals and medical colleges.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to strengthening the medical education and health infrastructure network across Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister said that around 200 MBBS seats have been added, which will significantly improve the quality of the healthcare landscape here, besides high end medical care facilities are being established in district and sub-district hospitals to cater growing healthcare needs of people.
Minister Sakeena further called upon the MD JKMSCL to procure medical equipments as per the requisitions received from concerned hospitals and medical colleges to maintain transparency and accountability. She also asked the Secretary Health to frame a committee Secretariat level for conducting routine checks in hospitals and other facilities regarding expiry of medicines.
Highlighting on the need for reforms, the Minister called upon the Secretary to frame an online system for granting appointments related to surgeries in government hospitals, besides people should be made aware about the services available through SEHAT App. She also asked the administrators of hospitals to ensure availability of free medicines related cancer, kidney problems, liver problems and other major health problems for the benefit of affected families.
During the meeting, Principals of respective GMCs gave a detailed presentation about the performance, functioning, infrastructure development, academic activities and other aspects of their colleges.
