SRINAGAR: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Itoo, today informed the Legislative Assembly that the Government is taking a series of measures to strengthen healthcare delivery, emergency response, trauma care and critical-care services in remote, hilly and difficult-to-access areas of Jammu Division, including the Padder-Nagseni Assembly Constituency.
The Minister was responding to a question raised by Sunil Kumar Sharma regarding the availability of doctors, specialists, nurses and paramedical staff, besides infrastructure, diagnostic facilities and emergency healthcare services in remote areas.
The Minister said that the Government is progressively augmenting Emergency, Trauma and Critical Care Services in remote and difficult areas through strengthening of critical-care infrastructure, emergency and trauma services, ambulance and medical evacuation facilities, human resources and telemedicine support.
She said the focus is on ensuring timely stabilization and management of critically ill and trauma patients at the nearest available health facility, followed by referral to higher centres wherever specialized treatment is required.
Highlighting the initiatives being undertaken under PM-ABHIM, the Minister informed that 17 Critical Care Blocks are being established across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, comprising 15 blocks of 50 beds each and two blocks of 100 beds each.
These facilities, she said, are aimed at substantially augmenting critical-care capacity and decentralizing specialized services, thereby reducing the need for patients from remote and far-flung areas to undertake long journeys for critical medical care.
The Minister further informed that emergency response and patient transportation facilities have also been strengthened with the addition of 44 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances, including 22 each for Jammu and Kashmir divisions, taking the total fleet under 102/108 ambulance services to 530.
She said that another 100 ambulances are being added to the fleet, comprising 75 critical-care ambulances and 25 4×4 All-Terrain Ambulances, which will further enhance emergency transportation and evacuation capabilities, particularly in mountainous, remote and difficult-to-access areas.
“An effective ambulance network plays a crucial role in ensuring timely emergency response, initial stabilization and safe transportation of patients, particularly from remote, hilly and geographically challenging areas,” the Minister said.
She added that the Department is undertaking need-based augmentation of manpower and emergency-care infrastructure in health institutions, keeping in view patient load, geographical accessibility, institutional requirements and identified service gaps.
Emphasizing the role of technology in bridging geographical barriers, Sakina Itoo said that telemedicine and specialist outreach services are also being utilized wherever feasible to facilitate specialist consultations and provide clinical support to patients and healthcare institutions in remote areas.
The Minister informed that Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed between the Principals of GMC Jammu, GMC Kathua, GMC Udhampur and GMC Rajouri and the Medical Superintendents of District Hospitals Reasi, Samba, Ramban and Poonch respectively for conducting specialist outreach camps and providing tele-consultation services.
She further informed that the draft MoU between GMC Doda and District Hospital Kishtwar has already been prepared and will be finalized shortly, which will further strengthen specialist support and referral linkages for patients in the region.
Regarding healthcare services in Padder-Nagseni, the Minister said that the First Referral Unit (FRU) at SDH Atholi, Paddar, provides referral services to District Hospital Kishtwar or higher health institutions, depending upon the clinical requirements of patients.
She said that timely referral and evacuation of critically ill and injured patients is facilitated through 108/102 ambulance services available at SDH Atholi and in the Padder-Nagseni area.
“In cases requiring specialized treatment, patients from the remotest and inaccessible areas are also evacuated or airlifted to higher health institutions, wherever required and feasible,” the Minister stated.
