Jahangeer Ganaie
Bijbehara, May 14 : Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Minister Sakina Itoo on Wednesday reaffirmed the Jammu and Kashmir government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the region. She assured that every effort would be made to ensure that quality medical services are accessible to residents in both urban and rural areas.
Addressing reporters after the inauguration of OPD facilities at Trauma Hospital Bijbehara and several other projects, Itoo, as reported by the news agency, said the government is dedicated to providing better healthcare facilities throughout Jammu and Kashmir. “No citizen should have to travel long distances to receive basic medical attention,” she said.
She highlighted recent achievements, including the availability of a Cath Lab at GMC Anantnag, and informed that efforts are underway to establish such facilities at all Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in J&K at the earliest.
The health minister said the Omar Abdullah-led government has accomplished many milestones in just six months, with more developments anticipated. She said the project for a 250-bed maternity and child care hospital at Janglatmandi, Anantnag, is ready, and work on the project is expected to commence soon.
Calling for administrative coherence, she said, “We will work to transfer all villages into the medical block of their respective constituencies. This will ensure better coordination, accountability, and more effective service delivery.”
Itoo said currently, some villages are caught between different health jurisdictions, which hampers service provision. The minister assured that she will direct the concerned authorities to transfer such villages to the medical blocks corresponding to their own constituencies.
Regarding the upgradation of SDH Bijbehara to a district hospital, especially since the district hospital in Anantnag has already been converted into GMC, Sakina Itoo said, “The upgradation file is currently closed. Once the process is reopened, the demands of Bijbehara will be duly considered and taken into account.”—
