SRINAGAR: The approved Government Nursing College at Budgam is yet to become operational as the Jammu and Kashmir Government is still processing the creation of required manpower, while a proposed trauma hospital at Magam is not under consideration amid financial constraints and staffing requirements.
The Health and Medical Education Department stated this in response to an Assembly question, saying the proposal for creation of posts for the Budgam nursing college was currently under consideration to facilitate its operationalisation. It also clarified that there was no proposal at present to establish a nursing college at Beerwah.
On the demand for a trauma hospital at Magam, the department said no proposal was currently under consideration.
According to the Government, establishing a basic Level-III Trauma Centre would require at least 73 personnel, including general surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetists and radiographers. Making such a facility functional would involve an estimated annual expenditure of Rs 5 crore towards manpower and other related requirements.
The department said prevailing financial constraints and the Finance Department’s austerity measures could make operationalisation of such a facility difficult.
Trauma cases from the area are presently being treated at existing facilities, including District Hospital Budgam, Sub-District Hospitals at Beerwah and Magam, and tertiary care hospitals such as JVC Bemina and SMHS Hospital.
The Government said the requirements relating to the nursing college and trauma facility would be assessed at an appropriate stage, after which action would be taken in accordance with prescribed rules and norms.
On demands to upgrade the sub-centres at Charangam, Iskanderpora and SK-Pora into New Type Primary Health Centres (NTPHCs), the department said the facilities did not meet the population criteria prescribed for such an upgrade.
Under Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) guidelines, a minimum population of 20,000 is required in hilly and difficult areas and 30,000 in plain areas for upgrading a sub-centre to an NTPHC.
The Government said the three facilities did not meet the prescribed population thresholds and therefore could not be upgraded at present.
It also said there was currently no proposal to establish new health sub-centres at Lassipora, Nusso and Bandgam.
The department said its present focus was on strengthening and consolidating the existing healthcare delivery system rather than expanding infrastructure through new facilities.
However, it said critical gaps in healthcare services, if identified, would be examined through feasibility assessments. It also pointed to digital interventions such as tele-consultation and e-Sanjeevani at existing facilities as possible measures to improve access and extend medical services to underserved areas.
