SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday handed over appointment orders to newly recruited Medical Officers of the J&K Health and Medical Education Department at a ceremony held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here.
Congratulating the doctors on their selection, Omar urged them to treat their entry into government service as a responsibility to serve people with dedication, particularly those living in remote and underserved areas.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said doctors often meet people at some of the most difficult moments of their lives and therefore carry a greater responsibility towards society.
“People have high expectations from you. In the most difficult of times, when people go in search of someone, they go in search of a doctor,” he said.
Omar stressed the need to strengthen healthcare facilities at the sub-district and district levels so that patients do not have to travel to Srinagar or Jammu for routine procedures and treatment.
He said services such as normal deliveries and surgeries for conditions including gallbladder and appendicitis should ideally be available at sub-district hospitals, or at least at the district level where such facilities cannot be provided locally.
The Chief Minister called upon the newly appointed Medical Officers to help improve healthcare delivery at the grassroots and reduce the burden on major hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar.
At the same time, he acknowledged the challenges faced by doctors posted in remote areas and assured them that the government would work towards improving infrastructure, connectivity and working conditions.
“You will expect us to provide you with proper infrastructure so that you can carry out your duties properly. You will expect us to provide you with proper connectivity in the areas where we post you,” Omar said.
He said the government was focusing particularly on education and health as the two key foundations for the future development of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have to change the future of Jammu and Kashmir. To change the future, we are paying special attention to two things—education and health,” he said.
Omar also highlighted the government’s efforts to expand medical education in J&K, saying the administration continues to subsidise medical education and has taken steps to increase the intake capacity of medical colleges in coordination with the Centre.
He said increasing the number of medical seats would help create a larger pool of trained doctors who could eventually contribute to public healthcare delivery across J&K.
Assuring the newly appointed doctors of continued government support, the Chief Minister said service conditions and healthcare infrastructure would be improved to enable them to discharge their duties effectively.
“We will improve your service conditions so that you can carry out your work without fear. We will also improve your infrastructure,” he said.
Omar also urged the doctors to remain committed to public service throughout their careers and make their families proud by serving people with dedication and compassion.
Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Itoo, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education, M Raju, Mission Director, National Health Mission J&K, Akriti Sagar, faculty members of Health Services Kashmir, newly appointed Medical Officers and their parents were present at the event.
