Srinagar, Mar 05: The Health and Medical Education Department has informed the Jammu and Kashmir Government that no land has been provided or handed over to Health Department as per the record, for constructing hospital building in Greater Kailash and Sainik Colony.
This statement was made in response to a question raised by MLA Dr. Narinder Singh Raina in the J&K Assembly regarding healthcare facilities.
Raina questioned whether land had been provided by the society in Greater Kailash and Sainik Colony for the construction of a hospital. In response, the Health Department, citing a report from the Director of Health Services Jammu, stated that no land has been provided or handed over to the department for building a hospital in these areas, as per official records.
In response to another query about whether the absence of proper healthcare facilities is causing immense hardships for locals, the Health Department stated, “It is denied that there is a lack of proper healthcare facilities or that locals face immense hardship there.”
The reply said on the contrary, a functional Urban Public Health Centre (UPHC) Sainik Colony is providing a range of healthcare services.
“Out of 09 (Doctors & Paramedical) staff, 05 are posted, with an additional 08 (Doctors and Paramedical) engaged under NHM to supplement existing staff strength,” the reply said.
Pertinently, there are several other healthcare facilities in close proximity, including NTPHC Channi Himmat: Located within 1-3 km, Sub Centre Sainik Colony: Situated within 1-3 km and Sub-Center Lower Chowadhi also within 1-3 km.
Also for the secondary and tertiary level healthcare services, the following facilities are available within 3-6 km that are Government Hospital Gandhinagar, Rajeev Gandhi Hospital Gangyal and GMC Jammu and its associated hospitals.
“Moreover, under the unique Universal Health Insurance initiative of J&K, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)-SEHAT scheme, several private empanelled hospitals are also providing treatments to the eligible beneficiaries near of Sainik Colony and Greater Kailash,” it said.
It also said the AB-PMJAY-SEHAT scheme provides health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakhs per family per year to eligible beneficiaries, enabling them to access quality healthcare services without financial hardship. The populace of J&K in general can avail the benefit of 250 odd empanelled hospitals. In response to another query by the MLA—regarding the steps taken for hospital construction if land had been allocated—the department stated that since adequate healthcare facilities are already available for residents in the mentioned areas, there is no plan to establish a new hospital.
