Extension of working hours in Medical, Dental Colleges hailed

Awantipora, Apr 6: The Jammu & Kashmir People’s Forum (JKPF) has commended the recent order by the Secretary of Health & Medical Education extending working hours from 9 am to 5 pm in all Govt Medical and Dental Colleges across the Union Territory.

In a press release issued by Forum General Secretary and Human Rights activist M M Shuja, it was emphasised that this order should be implemented diligently.

The Forum advocated for its extension to all govt hospitals across J&K to enhance healthcare accessibility for poor patients who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals. The Forum highlighted the disparity between the lucrative private sector and the distressed state of govt healthcare facilities, exacerbated by shortages of doctors and para-medical staff.

The Civil Society Group urged the Secretary Health to establish a uniform fee structure in private hospitals for diagnostic observations and surgical procedures, as well as for doctors practicing in private settings.

Currently, fees vary significantly, ranging from two hundred to seven hundred, due to the lack of implemented guidelines. The J&K People’s Forum (JKPF) is a well-known Civil Society Group renowned for filing over twenty Public Interest Litigations (PILs) addressing various public issues, including the poor healthcare system in the Union Territory.