J&K Hospitals ready: Dedicated beds, control rooms, ambulances

Srinagar, May 8: Major Government Hospitals across J&K have dedicated hospital beds and prepared roasters to cater to feared emergencies amidst the ongoing situation along the LoC. Control rooms for easing access of patients to healthcare have also been set up, as per the healthcare system preparedness plan charted out by Health and Medicals Education Department.

The Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura today issued numbers leading the charge through dedicated 24/7 control rooms. The control room, as per the hospital officials, will act as the linkage for patients and staff in case an emergency arises. “The control room acts as the nerve center, allowing us to manage patient inflows, allocate beds, and deploy specialized teams efficiently,” a senior official at the hospital said.

SKIMS has also dedicated a special ward for the purpose of handling critical patients in view of the situation prevalent in J&K. The tertiary-care health institute has also down-sized admitting patients and carrying out procedures in order to reserve hospital space and human resources to deal with any disaster.

A Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, 120 bedded ward has been kept ready with a corresponding number of critical care units. Hospital officials said the emergency of the hospital had been expanded and medical supplies as well as disposable and consumable were stocked in adequate quantity. The Medical College has also cancelled the leaves of staff, the official said. GMC Jammu is the tertiarycare nodal center for LoC in Jammu division.

GMC Srinagar is in the process of setting up additional trauma beds in SMHS Hospital and Bone and Joint Hospital. The hospital staff has been put on high-alert and directed to be stationed in the vicinity of the hospital. “We are not admitting as many routine patients as usual for now, only those with serious conditions to conserve the hospital space and be eady to deal with any catastrophe,” the admin at GMC Srinagar said.

The new GMCs of J&K are emerging as vital buffer centers for healthcare delivery, ensuring swift responses to critical cases.

At GMC Baramulla, which is the nearest tertiary care center for Uri and other areas in Baramulla district which have been witnessing violence over the past few days, the healthcare set-up, the administration said, was ready as per the protocol. GMC Baramulla has allocated the entire bed capacity for emergencies, cancelling the elective procedures and not admitting routine patients. The GMC has also diverted the staff from the non-clinical areas to augment the presence and human resource in emergency departments.

Ambulances from various peripheral hospitals have been centralized to GMCs in peripheries to ferry patients if need arises, the health officials said. At GMC Baramulla, 11 ambulances had been kept ready in view of the situation.