Patients in pain, surgeries in 2026

Srinagar, Oct 2: The government decision to reserve common surgical procedures exclusively for government hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and SEHAT schemes has allegedly left patients with sinfully long waiting times.

Despite the scheme’s promise of free cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), many are spending from their pockets at the private facilities to avoid delays.

As per reports, the waiting times in public hospitals have stretched into 2026.

The State Health Agency (SHA) issued an order on September 15, 2025, directing all Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) and Medical Superintendents of J&K to submit detailed waiting time data for the reserved procedures within three working days.

The information was sought during the 8th and 9th Governing Council meetings of the SHA.

It emphasised the need for an accurate average of waiting time. The issue began after a March 2025 order by the government that restricted four high-demand procedures - cholecystectomy, hemorrhoidectomy, appendectomy, and fissure in ano to government hospitals only.

The move, although well-intentioned, has resulted in potential health complications like infections or chronic pain from untreated gallstones and unwarranted out-of-pocket expenses.

The order was meant to curb the alleged exploitation of the ‘Golden Card’ by private hospitals.

There were allegations of overutilisation and inflated claims, SHA officials had said.

However, the decision has overburdened public facilities, due to their already mammoth workload, surgeries, and staffing limitations.

Patients have been complaining of massive backlogs.

According to patients, SMHS Hospital is scheduling patients for gallbladder removal in any month from April 2026 to August 2026.

As per reports, at GMC Anantnag, the situation is the same; the patients are getting a date in August 2026.

In other district hospitals, the beginning of the New Year is the time when a patient with gallstones can expect to get a surgery date.

Cholecystectomy is one of the most common surgeries for treating gallstones.

The delays are prolonged in larger hospitals like SMHS, where hundreds of patients with life-threatening conditions like cancer are also in the same queue.

Doctors, rightly so, prioritise urgent procedures in the limited operating theater and staff availability.

A doctor at one of the GMCs said the patients with gallstones are in constant pain, but they are told to wait months or even years.

He said many cannot endure it and end up paying around Rs 50,000 in private hospitals.

“Even though the scheme covers it, but not in private set-ups,” he said.

Data on AB-PMJAY’s national impact shows the scheme typically reduces out-of-pocket expenses by covering 90 percent of inpatient costs.

However, in reserved scenarios like this, patients opting out face full financial burdens.

This is a serious jolt to the vision of equitable healthcare that the scheme envisages.