SRINAGAR: The healthcare delivery system in Jammu and Kashmir necessitates a significant overhaul to effectively address the evolving health needs of its population and rectify existing deficiencies, according to a retired senior bureaucrat.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, a former Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and a retired IAS officer, emphasized the critical need for a thorough assessment of the region’s health infrastructure and human resources.
Ganai, speaking on the sidelines of the five-year commemoration of the Gauri Kaul Foundation, highlighted that a detailed audit of healthcare facilities and personnel is mandatory to improve services, particularly in the outlay and remote areas of the Union Territory.
He suggested that a gap analysis, comparing the available manpower against the population’s needs in specific areas, would provide the incumbent government with a realistic understanding of the deficiencies that require attention. This approach, he stated, would facilitate a pragmatic and phased strategy for recruitment and resource allocation.
“There may be a lot of deficiencies, and not everything can be fixed at the same time. However, gap analysis would definitely help in a realistic and cascaded approach to addressing the issues of recruitment,” Ganai said.
Furthermore, Ganai underscored the importance of auditing equipment and infrastructure to ascertain deficiencies in line with the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) norms. Such an audit, he explained, would clearly identify areas of concern and support evidence-based budget proposals for the health sector.
“This will make a lasting impact on the improvement of healthcare delivery in the outlying areas,” he added.
In a subsequent phase, the government could focus on upgrading health facilities based on the findings of the initial assessments. Ganai noted that certain facilities could be augmented, and new areas could be brought under coverage, contingent upon population needs and available resources.
He also proposed a restructuring of the directorates of Health Services in Jammu and Kashmir. Ganai suggested that these directorates could be mandated to focus exclusively on healthcare services in rural and outlay regions. This division, he posited, would allow towns and district headquarters to have their healthcare facilities managed by newly established medical colleges and the medical education department, while major cities like Jammu and Srinagar, which are already well-equipped, would continue to operate with their existing infrastructure.
“It is only the rural, peripheral areas and populations that are suffering due to shortage of human resource in health facilities, as many people, recruited for these facilities manage to get easier, central postings in Directorate,” Ganai stated, advocating for a system that ensures appointed personnel serve in the areas for which they are recruited.
The former advisor also pointed out an administrative challenge related to the demarcation of blocks. He mentioned that new Community Development (CD) blocks created in 2014 are not coterminous with the existing medical blocks, leading to a disconnect in planning and resource allocation at the grassroots level. He recommended that aligning these blocks would enable better planning and resource distribution at Panchayat and district levels.
Addressing the role of the private sector, Ganai encouraged increased private investment and the establishment of facilities in rural areas, promoting public-private partnerships to enhance healthcare services across Jammu and Kashmir. However, he also stressed the need for vigilant oversight of the private sector to ensure adherence to ethical practices and quality standards.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
