Kashmir health sector expected to undergo major boost

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved 22 investment offers totaling Rs 4400 crore for the development of medical facilities in the Union Territory, giving J&K’s health sector a considerable boost.

“The new industrial development programme of the Prime Minister has ushered in the golden era of J&K’s industrial development,” a high-ranking Health Department official told Greater Kashmir. “The government has authorised 22 projects totalling Rs 4400 crore for the construction of a Medicity, which will add a staggering 1000 more MBBS seats to J&K."

To build medical cities in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions, the J&K government ordered the transfer of 468 kanal of land.

Sempora, Pampore would host one of the Medicities and in Jammu, Miran Sahab would become the site of another.

In Sempora, more than 368 kanal of land have been set aside while 100 kanal have been identified in Miran Sahab.

Officials said that the government had received 22 proposals from private healthcare companies showing their interest in establishing medicities in J&K.

According to senior Health and Medical Education Department officials, the medicity would include medical colleges and hospitals, super-specialty centres of excellence, nursing, pharmaceuticals, hospital management, and dental colleges, ayurvedic colleges and hospitals and medical education hubs, AYUSH centres, research centres with residential areas, staff quarters and guest houses.

In 2019, the then State Administrative Council (SAC), under the chairmanship of former Governor Satya Pal Malik approved the “policy document” for the setting up medicities in Kashmir and Jammu along with the identification and transfer of land by the Revenue Department for the purpose.

“J&K government will invite private partners to set up medicities in Kashmir and Jammu divisions. The government will notify identified geographies in Kashmir and Jammu divisions for setting up medicities. The private investor will be required to design, finance, construct, and equip the medicity with necessary medical and non-medical infrastructure and run and maintain the facility. The J&K government will support in providing land, financial aid, and assistance,” reads an official document.

It adds that the J&K administration was going to enhance the MBBS seat capacity to 1000 with the opening of two new medical colleges at Handwara in Kupwara district and Udhampur.

As per the official document, the first batch of MBBS classes in new medical colleges at Handwara (Kupwara) and Udhampur would be started during the academic session 2022-23, increasing the overall intake capacity to 1000 MBBS seats in J&K. 

The availability of doctors and specialists in the new Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) would be increased for better patient management and reduction of referrals.