Stressing the need to decentralise healthcare services, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said improving hospitals in the twin capitals of Jammu and Srinagar alone would not solve the problem of overcrowding unless medical facilities in districts are strengthened.
Interacting with reporters after inaugurating a 243-bed maternity block at the SMGS Hospital that has been built at a cost of Rs 31.59 crore, he underlined that excessive patient load continues to hamper the functioning of major referral hospitals in both capital cities.
This state-of-the-art facility, equipped with critical care delivery services and an OT complex, will be a major boost, marking a significant step towards better maternal and child healthcare services, the chief minister said.
“As I have always said, no matter how much we improve the hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar, until the patient rush remains like this, their condition cannot be fully improved,” Abdullah noted.
He said the only sustainable solution lies in upgrading district-level hospitals with adequate infrastructure, doctors, and paramedical staff so that patients do not have to depend solely on urban hospitals for treatment.
“To improve the hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar, you must strengthen the hospitals in the districts so that the pressure here is reduced,” he said.
Abdullah acknowledged that while constructing hospital buildings is comparatively easier, creating medical manpower remains the biggest challenge.
He said efforts are underway to increase seats at the MBBS and specialist levels, which is expected to gradually improve the availability of doctors in the coming years.
Abdullah reiterated that as manpower improves, the government will focus on establishing and upgrading healthcare facilities in districts to ensure better access to treatment closer to people’s homes and to decongest tertiary hospitals in major cities. (PTI)