Srinagar, Apr 15: The internal rift in the state Congress is hindering the construction of proposed 400-bed children hospital in Kashmir although the proposal had been submitted to the state government last year.
 Highly placed government officials claimed that Union Health Minister and former Chief Minster Ghulam Nabi Azad had shown their willingness for construction of a children hospital in the summer capital.
 The proposal by Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, a copy of which is with Greater Kashmir, clearly shows estimates of infrastructure, staff and various specialties and sub-specialties.
 “The proposal from the state government has not reached the Union Ministry for the past one year. Minister for Medical Education R S Chib and Azad are at loggerheads as the former is a Soz loyalist. As such, state government has dumped the proposal. The GMC Srinagar formulated the proposal in May-June last year and forwarded it to its administrative department. Since then three reminders have been sent without any result,” official sources revealed, adding that the proposal is gathering dust due to internal squabbling in the Congress.
 The Union Ministry is eagerly awaiting the state government response at the time when patient care is being affected in GB Pant children hospital due to lack of adequate beds and proper medicare, they said. 
 “Azad sahib was keen to establish the hospital in the valley but state Health Minster is an impediment to it. Provincialism has crept into it now. Jammu-based ministers want the same for that region also,” said an official who had a meeting on the same issue with the Union Minister in New Delhi.
 Principal GMC Srinagar, Dr Shahida Mir, told Greater Kashmir that the proposal has been sent long back and the decision lies with state government to take it up with Union Health Ministry.
 “Our job was to send the proposal to Health Commissioner, which was done last year. Now the initiative lies with state government. It has to take up the matter with the Union Minister,” she said.
 She said that this hospital would be a training hospital of GMC and it would mitigate the sufferings of patients.
 “The bed strength is planned according to population. There would be general pediatrics’ and sub-specialties such as pediatrics gastroenterology, neurology, adolescent medicine, surgery and more such expansion,” the Principal informed.
 Minster for Medical Education, RS Chib, said that no such proposal lies with the government.
 “Two 200-bed maternity hospitals are coming up in Srinagar and Jammu. We have received funds for it from Union Government. The load of patients on GB Pant hospital is going to come down as 200 beds are being added in LD hospital. So there will be no need of children hospital,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST