Srinagar, Feb 17: The only child maternity hospital in Jammu, Sri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) is facing shortage of faculty members with 13 posts of doctors and 194 of paramedical staff lying vacant.
As per the official data, 31 posts of doctors were sanctioned, out of which only 18 posts have been filled till now, while 13 are lying vacant.
Similarly, 542 posts of paramedical staff were sanctioned out of which 348 have been filled and 194 are still vacant.
This information was provided by the hospital authorities to the RTI in response to an application filed by social activist M M Shujah.
As per the data, 17235 surgeries were performed at SMGS Hospital from 1 January 2022 to December 21, 2022.
Besides that, 7330 patients were admitted and treated at SMGS Hospital Jammu under ‘Golden Card Scheme’ from Jan 1 2022 to December 31, 2022.
SMGS hospital was inaugurated by the last ruler of J&K, Maharaja Hari Singh, in 1940 and was named after the founder of the state, Maharaja Gulab Singh.
As per the data, in 2022 a new and separate Department of Neonatology was started in SMGS Hospital and MCH Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu and subsequently additional NICU was started at MCH Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu.
Though these works have been taken up, the establishment of Pediatric Centre of Excellence in SMGS Hospital, Jammu is still pending.
Moreover, the 275-bedded New Maternity Block at SMGS Hospital Jammu is nearly at the final phase of completion.
The New Maternity Block at SMGS Hospital will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 31.60 crore, the project comprises a multi-story building to accommodate 275 more beds in Gynae ward and Labour Room, parking facility for about 300 vehicles, provision of a modern lab, library and other allied facilities.
As per the data, 102 (Gynae) and 96 (Paediatrics) cancer patients were treated at the hospital in 2022.
Like Jammu, many district and sub-district hospitals in Kashmir are still understaffed and vacancies have not been filled up thus puncturing the claims of authorities about strengthening the health care system.
Over 100 posts of doctors and 450 posts of paramedics are lying vacant in different district hospitals of Kashmir.