Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Member of Parliament from Anantnag Hasnain Masoodi called on Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare at Delhi and discussed in detail various challenges faced by the healthcare system in Kashmir.
In the meeting, Masoodi, according to the NC spokesperson, demanded the setting up of a Cardiac Catheterization Lab (Cath Lab) and 256 Slice CT scanners in SKIMS. He informed the Minister that the institute has recently added 40 bed Infection Diseases Block, 100 bed State Cancer Institute, 125 bed Maternity Hospital to its healthcare facilities for the benefit of the general public and adequate steps are required to be taken to strengthen this important Territory healthcare Institute.
The Minister was also made aware of the manpower crisis faced by the Health and Family Welfare in J&K in general and the Institute in particular as after 1980 no exercise worth the name was undertaken to fill up the positions fallen vacant due to retirements and new creations and resultantly hundreds of positions at different levels are lying vacant. Masoodi requested the Minister to direct the setting up of an independent and efficient mechanism for speedy and hassle free recruitment against all vacancies in SKIMS so that the Institute works at the optimum level and provides services to the general public.
He also apprised the Minister about the important and laudable role played by the SKIMS as main Tertiary Health Facility during the last 40 years and in particular in battle against Covid -19 pandemic and measures required to be taken to strengthen the diagnostic and other facilities at the Institute.
The Minister shared the concern of Masoodi regarding the alarming increase in incidence of cancer and cancer mortality in Jammu and Kashmir. Masoodi informed the Health Minister that Type 2 diabetes has more or less become an epidemic in urban areas in Jammu and Kashmir and diagnostic facilities to undertake an aggressive screening of NCD at the population level is the need of the hour. He also conveyed his concern about increasing incidence of CKD because of uncontrolled diabetes.
Masoodi demanded sanction of MRI, PeT CT scan and Laser Centre for Ophthalmology at District Hospital Anantnag and Phacoemulsification machine for cataract surgery at District Hospital, Shopian. He also demanded sanction of a 500 bed super speciality Hospital at Dialgam and 200 bed Maternity and Child Welfare Centers/ Hospitals at Rehmat Alam Anantnag and at Dooru. He put forth the demand for setting up of Dialysis Units at the Sub – District Hospitals Seer Hamdan, Dooru, DH Pora, Dooru, Kellar and Pampore.
