Srinagar: In a major boost to the healthcare sector in Jammu and Kashmir, 20 more seats have been approved by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) for Government Medical Colleges and district hospitals of the Union Territory, an official spokesman said here on Saturday.
The spokesman said the move would mean that accredited institutions will get two post-graduate candidates in the certified stream every year.
Till now, 39 superspeciality and broad specialty courses have been approved by the NBE which are likely to give 81 seats to the UT which is over and above the superspeciality (DM/MCH and MD/MS) courses already being run in Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesman said.
These steps will drastically improve the healthcare services in the far-flung districts and shall improve the services in the tertiary care institutions as well. This is also expected to markedly bring down the referral from the far flung districts to the already overburdened tertiary care institutes of the UT of J&K, the spokesman added.
He said District Hospital, JLNM Srinagar has got accreditation in General Medicine and has been granted two seats for DNB by NBE. With this, the total seats granted for District Hospitals of J&K are eight.
Pertinent to mention, that DH Gandhi Nagar has earlier got 6 seats in Anesthesia and Medicine, pursuant to which DNB courses have been started in Gandhi Nagar Jammu.
Recently, six specialties have been accredited by NBE in new GMCs with an approval of 12 seats. 02 seats have been granted by NBE to new GMC Doda in the Department of Pediatrics. With this, GMC Doda is accredited in the specialty of Anesthesia and Pediatrics with a total of four seats in both streams, the spokesman informed.
He said new GMC Kathua has recently been granted two seats in the department of Physiology. With this, GMC Kathua is accredited in the specialty of Pediatrics, Physiology and Community Medicine with a total of eight seats.
New GMC Anantnag has been granted two seats in the department of Pharmacology and three seats in the department of Community Medicine. With this, GMC Anantnag is accredited in the specialty of Dermatology, Pharmacology and Community Medicine with a total of seven seats.
New GMC Rajouri has been granted one seat in the department of Orthopedics and new GMC Baramulla has been granted two seats in the department of Community Medicine.
Additionally, in old GMCs/SKIMS, GMC Srinagar has also been granted accreditation in Endocrinology & Immuno hematology and Blood Transfusion departments, and SKIMS Srinagar has been granted accreditation in FNB Interventional Cardiology. Two seats have been approved in each of these accredited departments.
Pertinent to mention that the DNB (Diplomate of National Board) courses have been introduced in the district hospitals and new Govt. Medical Colleges besides old GMCs and SKIMS in order to strengthen the institutions, decongest the Govt. Medical Colleges and to address the shortage of specialists in the UT of J&K, the spokesman said.
