While expressing dismay over shelving of proposed medical colleges, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Friday said that they were aimed to strengthen the deficient health sector in the state.
In a statement to KNS President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan said that government has failed to establish approved medical colleges which were intended to strengthen the health care delivery system in Kashmir.
“Last year centre sanctioned five medical colleges two for Kashmir in Baramulla and Anantnag and three others in Doda, Kuthwa and Rajouri areas of Jammu. Each medical college will have intake capacity of 100 admissions at the undergraduate level (MBBS) for which memorandum of understanding between the union ministry of health and family welfare and state government has already been signed. The purpose of establishing these medical colleges was to increase number of doctors in areas where disease burden is high,” he said.
“The step was aimed at providing more doctors and increases the doctor-patient ratio which is currently low.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThe idea was to ensure quality health care to rural poor and end discriminatory health care between rural and urban communities. The emergency patients like heart attacks, brain attacks or trauma who are referred to Srinagar from rural areas either die on way or reach hospital in a morbid condition as the golden time which is critical for their survival is wasted in transit,” Dr Hassan said.
The DAK President added that everyday “we lose our fragile infants due to lack of neonatal care in rural areas.”
“It is because of lack of qualified doctors in rural areas that majority of deliveries are conducted by untrained persons which is responsible for high maternal and infant mortality. DAK seeks operationalization of proposed medical colleges without further delay which will benefit people in concerned areas and will provide a fillip to medical education,” he added.