Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Itoo on Tuesday reiterated the government’s commitment to providing essential services to the public at their doorsteps while inaugurating a state-of-the-art Dialysis Centre at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Pampore.
The event witnessed the presence of MLA Pampore Retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi, MLA Rajpora Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Mir, District President Pulwama Mohd Khalil Band, and several senior health officials.
Speaking to reporters, Itoo said that upgradation of health facilities will be undertaken only after proper consolidation and strengthening of existing health institutions.
She said many health institutions were given the status of district hospital during the last Omar Abdullah government but the previous government didn’t work upon it, thus delaying the progress in this regard.
“Creating scattered and fragmented setups that lack staff and infrastructure serves no purpose. Our priority is to make the current institutions fully functional and robust before moving towards expansion,” she said.
She said that their government has taken up the process of establishing dialysis centres at sub district hospitals and at many places facilities have been established while at other hospitals such facilities are being established.
Sakina added that kidney patients were suffering due to rush at existing dialysis facilities but now they won’t face any difficulties.
Earlier in the day, the minister visited the under-construction SDH Kakapora to review the pace and quality of ongoing development work. She was accompanied by local legislators and officials from the Health department.
Responding to concerns regarding shortages in peripheral hospitals, the minister highlighted that all doctors attached elsewhere have been ordered to return to their original postings. “This move is essential to ensure healthcare access in rural and underserved regions. Any non-compliance will invite strict action,” she warned—(KNO)
