Strengthening of existing medical infrastructure government’s top priority: Sakeena Itoo

Srinagar, Feb 03: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo today remarked that strengthening of existing medical infrastructure is top priority of the Government and creation of any additional Medical Blocks shall be considered subject to requirement, feasibility, availability of manpower and infrastructure.

The Health Minister said this while replying to a question of Legislator Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad on Medical Blocks during ongoing Budget Session of J&K Legislative Assembly.

The Minister informed the House that district Srinagar, having a population of over 15 lakh, is presently having one Medical Block and four Medical Zones and these four Medical Zones are functioning directly under the administrative control of Chief Medical Officer, Srinagar. She added that the administrative, supervisory and field-level implementation of health programmes in district Srinagar is being carried out smoothly and satisfactorily with existing manpower and infrastructure, with no major impediments reported in the delivery of health care services under the present administrative setup.

The Health Minister also informed the House that District Srinagar is administratively covered by four Medical Zones and one Medical Block, collectively catering to the eight Assembly Constituencies of district Srinagar.

She added that the existing health care delivery mechanism in the district is being adequately supported by the presence of premier tertiary and secondary health care institutions like Government Medical College Srinagar, Gousia Hospital, SKIMS Soura, SMHS Hospital, JLNM Hospital and SKIMS Bemina, which significantly enhance patient care services and help in managing the patient and service load across the district.