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| Forget AIIMS, upgrade existing hospitals, health institutions | | | Fazal Khan
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Apr 24: The central government deciding to set up AIIMS in Kashmir has evoked sharp reaction from the people in Jammu region as they feel “betrayed” and let down. They are demanding AIIMS should be set up in Jammu region also. To press for their demand Jammu observed a shutdown on Friday.
It’s really unfortunate that issue is slowly snowballing into a major controversy and there is every possibility of AIIMS controversy dividing the people of Jammu and Kashmir and triggering a row. People who are demanding AIIMS like building for Jammu region and are hell bent upon polarizing the environment seem to have forgotten that there are already many hospitals and health centres in Jammu as well as Kashmir and Ladakh regions but there is a big drawback that these institutions are not properly equipped and are understaffed. If government is really serious about upgrading the health sector then it should first upgrade the present health institutions.
Congress leader Salman Soz while commenting on the AIIMS controversy took to the social networking site Facebook and put forth his view: “It pains me to see that the building of a hospital has created differences between Jammu and Kashmir provinces. A bandh was called to protest the reported shifting of the location of an AIIMS-type hospital from Jammu to the Valley. Let me say first that I am totally opposed to the building of an AIIMS in either Jammu or Kashmir or Ladakh. It is unfortunate that we are spending so much energy for the construction of a new building as opposed to the real need to improve the quality of health services in existing hospitals and health centres. We are all aware of the poor quality of infrastructure and care in our government health institutions. If we are not able to deliver proper care in existing health institutions, how the hell will the building of a so-called AIIMS help us? It will not.”
Another Kashmir based politician while talking to Early Times said, “Constructing a building is not going to help the cause of patients. It would benefit the contractors, engineers, middlemen and politicians who would make a fortune by having an AIIMS constructed either in Kashmir or Jammu.”
He said need of the hour is to work towards improving the existing healthcare facilities in the state rather than constructing a building which would later have neither proper equipments nor enough staff.
Salman Soz while elaborating further wrote: “Stop fighting over a building! A hospital without adequate staff is only a building. Similarly, a school or college without adequate faculty is just a building. Let's be smart. Let's use the money designated for the new AIIMS and invest it to improve our major hospitals, in all of J&K. I hope the Government of J&K will consider this suggestion. It can help heal our divisions and improve patient care. We have a win-win opportunity!”
An expert opined that suggestion put forward by Soz needs to be deliberated upon and the funds which have been sanctioned for constructing AIIMS should be spent on improving the health care across the state and by equipping the hospitals with modern technology. “If a patient has to get a simple MRI test or a CT scan done in a government hospital he has to wait in a queue for at least a month allowing private players to call the shots and charge the patients at will. If we have more machines and equipment in place it would mitigate the sufferings of the patients who cannot afford to get themselves treated in private health institutions,” he added. |
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