SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that the region has a health institution for every 3,500 people, compared to the national average of 6,000.
In a written response to an unstarred question by MLA Reyaz Ahmed Khan, Minister in Charge of Health & Medical Education, Sakeena Masood Itto, cited a report by the Union Ministry of Health & Medical Education, highlighting JK’s better-than-average healthcare coverage.
The Minister stated that JK currently has 554 New Type Primary Health Centres (NTPHCs), of which 523 have been converted into Health & Wellness Centres under a flagship scheme of the Government of India.
She further informed the House that there are no plans to create or upgrade health centres at present. However, this may be reconsidered once the austerity measures imposed by the Finance Department are withdrawn and any critical gaps, as per the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), are assessed. (KNO)
