Srinagar, Jan 28: The J&K government, under the leadership of Omar Abdullah, is working to provide better patient care and has made significant progress in just three months, says Sakina Itoo, Minister for Health and Education.
Speaking at a conclave titled “Badalta Jammu and Kashmir” organized by the Gulistan News Network, Sakina expressed satisfaction with the government’s performance. She said that improvements are being made in both infrastructure and accountability.
Sakina said that working in a union territory, which is considered the “crown of India,” is a different experience compared to her past tenures in 1996 and 2009.
She said that the progress in the health sector and the contributions of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah are noteworthy, adding that few could match his legacy in this field.
“The health department is linked to everyone, and work is being done to improve it. In the past three months—a short time to judge a government’s performance—Omar Abdullah has shown personal concern for health, education, and social welfare,” she said.
She said that accountability is important and that she visited hospitals to identify issues. “The primary issue is the shortage of doctors. Recently, the government appointed 300 doctors to serve in far-flung areas, ensuring healthcare reaches underserved populations. The Chief Minister personally encouraged these appointments as a new beginning,” she added.
The minister spoke about new initiatives like establishing CATH labs in Jammu Medical College and Kashmir, which previously required patients to travel to Delhi for tests. “Linac machines for cancer detection have also been introduced in SKIMS and Jammu GMC, which will soon become operational, providing much-needed relief to cancer patients,” she said.
Admitting the shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, Sakina said efforts are underway to address the issue. “We have already appointed 300 doctors and resolved NOC-related issues for 59 specialized doctors. However, there’s a misconception that every dispensary should also have a few doctors.
We must align staffing with norms and ensure doctors are not underutilized, such as assigning surgeons to facilities without surgical requirements,” she explained.
She also said that ongoing recruitment efforts aim to create arrangements to bridge the staff shortage. Referring to Anantnag Maternity Hospital issues, she said that a major project for a 50-100 bed facility is being undertaken to address healthcare challenges in the district.
Regarding education, Sakina criticized the merging of schools as a flawed decision by the previous dispensation. “Around 4,000 schools were merged without proper planning, wasting buildings and resources. No consideration was given to accommodations or facilities in the merged schools. This decision was wrong, and I’ve instructed the directors of Jammu and Kashmir to review the closures and provide detailed reports,” she said.
Sakina added that education and health should remain apolitical. “These sectors are the backbone of a nation’s development and must be handled with responsibility.”
