SRINAGAR: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, informed the House that 39 health institutions are operational in the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) constituency. Additionally, Narayana Super Specialty Hospital is providing advanced healthcare services to the local population.
She made these remarks while responding to a question raised by Baldev Raj Sharma in the Legislative Assembly.
The Minister detailed that the constituency has 1 Community Health Centre (CHC), 2 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), 5 New Type PHCs (NTPHCs), and 31 Sub-Centres. She clarified that Bhomag village falls under the jurisdiction of the Block Medical Officer (BMO) Reasi, and there is no sanctioned post or office building for a BMO at Bhomag.
She further informed that Sub-Centres at Kothroo and Kroonkote are under construction under the district Capex budget. Meanwhile, CHC Katra is functioning as a 30-bedded Sub-District Hospital (SDH) with five specialities and additional services in Sinology and Orthopaedics. She noted that PHCs, as per IPHS standards, do not have provisions for specialist doctors but assured that PHC Tote is fully operational with adequate medical and paramedical staff.
On addressing staff shortages, the Minister stated that 365 Medical Officers were appointed in November 2024 and posted in far-flung health institutions across J&K to enhance grassroots healthcare. Additionally, the department is in the process of operating a waitlist of 91 selectee Medical Officers, whose services will be utilized in underserved areas.
She added that 181 new Medical Officer posts are expected to be filled through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, helping to address staff shortages. Furthermore, 292 non-gazetted/paramedical vacancies under the Directorate of Family Welfare, Maternity and Child Health (MCH), and 290 vacancies in the Directorate of Health Services Jammu have been referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (J&K SSB) for recruitment.
Regarding the upgradation of CHC Katra to SDH or Additional District Hospital (ADH), the Minister said any such decision would be considered under IPHS norms based on necessity.
She further stated that in the SMVD constituency, 107 of the 184 sanctioned medical and paramedical posts have been filled, with an additional 105 NHM staff deployed to strengthen healthcare services.
