STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The initiative of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing referral/district hospitals is indeed one more step towards providing standard health care facilities to the needy people in their own districts in Jammu and Kashmir.
This was stated by BJP State Spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan, while terming this initiative as historic, added that it will not only help in treatment of the ailing people but save precious lives in the event of mishaps in these districts.
“The establishment of medical colleges at district levels will prove to be milestones in the health sector”, Balbir said. It also reflects the concern and commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government to ensure that no one is deprived of availing best treatment without travelling long distances for the same.
Balbir said no doubt the capital cities of Jammu and Kashmir state have Soura Institute at Srinagar and GMC Hospital in Jammu and these institutions have better facilities of treatment but similar facilities are not available in hospitals which are far away located in districts and as a result a large number of patients are frequently referred to Jammu or Srinagar. This not only poses inconvenience to the patients and their attendants, many of whom cannot afford frequent visits to Jammu or Srinagar, but also creates pressure on the government hospitals which usually face full occupancy.
Balbir further said it has been seen that most of the people, particularly who meet accidents in hilly and far flung areas, when taken to the nearby District, Sub District Hospital or Primary Health Centre, are immediately referred to capital cities with an excuse of lack of required facilities to treat them. Many a times, the people who get severely injured, succumb to their injuries before reaching the referred hospitals.
Expressing hope that the three new hospitals, for which foundation stones have been laid at Rajouri, Anantnag and Baramulla, will be constructed at the earliest equipped with the modern infrastructure, Balbir said that the commissioning of these hospitals will provide succor to patients of the state at local level besides creating job opportunities for the medicos.