JAMMU: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo, today informed the House that the government is upgrading the existing healthcare infrastructure and facilities to strengthen the medical facilities at the grassroots level.
The Minister said this while replying to a starred question raised by Shagun Parihar in the Legislative Assembly.
The Minister said that, at present, the District Hospital Kishtwar is functioning as a 100-bed Hospital and an additional 100-bed Hospital building is under construction adjoining the existing IPD Block of the DH Kishtwar.
While speaking on the Traumatic Centre facility in DH Kashmir, the Minister said that a Designated Trauma Care Centre nearest to Kishtwar is situated at Thathri at a distance of 30 Km. She informed that all the trauma cases are being handled by the Emergency Room of DH Kishtwar where all specialist Doctors like Surgeons, Ortho, Anaesthetists and Physician and ample number of Medical Officers and Para-medics are posted for handling the emergencies 24X7.
The Minister further informed the house that currently DH Kishtwar has 11 consultants, 8 medical officers and 2 dental surgeons for the patients besides other paramedical staff.
The Minister remarked that the department has fast-tracked the recruitment process of doctors and medical professionals. She highlighted that in the month of November 2024, 365 selectees were appointed as Medical Officers in the J&K Health & Family Welfare (Gazetted) Services, who have been posted in the far-flung/peripheral healthcare facilities to strengthen the medical facilities at the grassroots level.
She also informed that the department is also in the process of operating a waitlist in respect of 91 selected Medical Officers, whose services will also be utilized in the under-served areas across the UT of J&K.
Moreover, the Minister informed that 181 posts of Medical Officers are still to be received from the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission and upon receiving these selections, the selected doctors will be posted in the health institutions experiencing staff shortages.
