In a bid to consolidate pediatric specialties under one-roof, state government is mulling to utilize under-construction hospital building at Bemina here entirely for pediatrics services while GB Pant Hospital will be developed as a full-fledged maternity hospital.
The Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar has submitted a proposal to state government for permitting use of 500 bedded hospital building at Bemina entirely for pediatrics.
An official in health and medical education department said that a meeting in this regard, chaired by commissioner secretary health and medical education, was recently held at GB Pant Hospital wherein the GMC sought enhancement of infrastructure and space for pediatric healthcare in Kashmir.
The official said that the GMC officials brought to the notice of Government “flaws” in existing plan for developing pediatric and maternity hospital in one building at under construction hospital at Bemina here.
“The GMC explained how running the planned 200 pediatric beds at Bemina hospital and existing 250 beds for pediatrics at GB Pant Hospital simultaneously was not sustainable as it would split the existing resources between two places,” the official said.
He added that GMC instead justified and demanded that the entire 500 beds at Bemina be allocated for pediatrics while the 250 bed facility at GB Pant Hospital could be used for augmenting maternity healthcare services in Kashmir.
Commissioner secretary health and medical education, Atal Dulloo said the proposal seems “feasible” and that Government had no issues with it. He however added that any change in GB Pant Hospital would require a nod from Cantonment Board, which partly controls the hospital under a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
“We have directed GMC to share the proposal with the Board (BB Cantonment) and if they are alright with using the hospital for maternity, it can be done,” he said. He added that GMC was “already on task” of sharing the proposal.
The building at Bemina was originally conceived as a 300-bedded maternity hospital and funded by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Later State government ordered addition of two floors to the existing three floors under the centrally sponsored project, in response to the demand of a pediatric hospital for Kashmir.
A senior faculty member of GMC Srinagar said that the proposed change in the upcoming Bemina hospital was “the most feasible plan” currently and would help develop all pediatric specialties under one roof in Kashmir.
“(It will provide) umbrella cover for all possible illnesses of children and be the high end tertiary care Institute that Kashmir requires badly,” he said.
He added that the proposed changes would have no financial implications and was just a “better allocation of resources and consolidation of human resources” as there would be no splitting of staff between two hospitals, either for maternity or pediatrics.