With an overarching goal of strengthening the healthcare services in Jammu and Kashmir, the UT’s health sector has received its highest-ever budgeted allocation of Rs 2097.53 crore in the budget 2023–24.
In contrast to the provision of Rs 1882 crore for health and medical education during the previous budget of 2022–2023, the financial allocation for the health sector has grown by Rs 215 crore. The total budgetary allotment for health and medical education for fiscal year 2023-24 is Rs 2097.5 crore.
Allocation for the health sector has been enhanced by11 percent to provide better facilities, control communicable as well as non-communicable diseases, improve maternal and child care services, strengthening secondary and tertiary health care, and provide health care at doorsteps,” said a senior official from the Health Department. “With an increased budgetary allocation, the government has set a target to reduce C-section deliveries in J&K by at least 20 percent and introduce Robotic Surgery at Government Medical College, Srinagar and Jammu.”
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, which the Indian government released last year, J&K had the second-highest percentage of C-section births (42.7 percent).
According to another report, in Kashmir 82 C-section births were performed for every 100 cases.
“The operationalisation of a modern drug testing laboratory at Kathua and Jammu, as well as the achievement of TB-free status for the districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, and Kupwara, are among the objectives for completion in the health sector that are listed in the budget document for the fiscal year 2023–24. Construction of a control and command centre at the government medical colleges in Jammu and Baramulla to provide better patient care is another objective as is strengthening of trauma care facilities in accident-prone areas by efficient use of resources, including staff and high-tech equipment for emergency diagnosis, particularly in regions like Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban,” the report said. “Other objectives include establishment of 25 Urban Health and Wellness Centres, 57 Block Public Health Units, four District Integrated Public Health Labs and one 50-bedded Critical Care Block, extension of telemedicine services for Intensive Care Units, extension of modules under the Health Management Information System (HMIS) for improving Public Health Delivery Mechanism and Patient Records under Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), and effective management for daycare chemotherapy in all districts.”
The report said that upscaling and updation of OPD and IPD facilities under Nasha Mukt Abhiyan, 100 percent screening of school children and other sections of the population, implementation of Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) implementation of tele Out-patient Department (tele-OPD), Unified Digi surveillance system in the health sector, health screening at panchayat level and 100 percent screening, surveillance of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and other diseases are other objectives.
Early identification of high-risk pregnancies and focus on postnatal care. Full (100 percent) immunisation coverage. Reinforce Anaemia Mukt Jammu and Kashmir. Radiotherapy equipment is to be made available at all the Medical Colleges. All 7 Medical Colleges to provide facilities for treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), ST Elevated Myocardial Infarcted (STEMI) stroke and chemotherapy are other objectives,” read the document.
