Omar Govt shall not compromise with medical sector: Adv. Rattan Lal Gupta 

• Says Previous Govt miserably failed to fill vacant posts in J&K’s Health Department

JAMMU: Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), has raised serious concern over the alarming shortage of Medical Officers, Dental Surgeons, Consultants, and Para-medical staff in health institutions across the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. His remarks come in the wake of observations made by the Divisional Bench (DB) of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, which recently expressed dismay over the deteriorating state of healthcare services, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Interacting with the Block Committee of Padder the most remote Schedule Tribe Area headed by its Block President Mr Janki Nath Ji who brought to the notice of Provincial President the problem and difficulties facing the area including the health care, the senior NC leader lambasted the previous administration for its utter failure to address the growing crisis in the health sector. He asserted that the inability of the former government to fill vacant posts in the health department has left the common people in distress, especially those residing in far-flung areas. “Health centres in these regions remain woefully understaffed, leaving patients at the mercy of fate. The previous government adopted a casual and negligent approach, resulting in a dire shortage of doctors and specialists where they are needed the most,” he stated.

“A status report submitted to the court revealed the extent of the vacancies within the Health department. In Jammu Division, 664 Medical Officer posts and 2,489 Para Medic positions remain unfilled. In contrast, Kashmir Division faces a shortage of 72 Medical Officers and 2,651 Para Medics. These vacancies are particularly critical in rural and peripheral areas, where the lack of medical personnel results in insufficient healthcare delivery, leaving people vulnerable and forcing unnecessary referrals to urban hospitals,” he said.

Highlighting the grim reality of rural healthcare, Rattan Lal Gupta pointed out that many health institutions function with skeletal staff and lack even the most basic infrastructure. “People in remote areas are facing acute difficulties due to the non-availability of doctors and inadequate medical facilities. Health centres either remain closed or operate in a highly compromised manner. Despite repeated appeals from various quarters, the previous government turned a blind eye to this critical issue,” he remarked.

The Provincial President further revealed that several time this grave issue were highlighted before the Lieutenant Governor’s administration over the past years, urging immediate recruitment to fill vacant positions in the health department. However, he expressed disappointment that no concrete action was taken, reflecting a lack of seriousness in dealing with public health concerns. “The sheer apathy of the previous administration has compounded the suffering of the people. The absence of a clear roadmap for strengthening healthcare services is a testament to their incompetence,” he asserted.

Stressing the importance of a robust healthcare system, Rattan Lal Gupta asserted that the present dispensation under the dynamic leadership of Omar Abdullah will not compromise on the medical sector. “The JKNC is committed to ensuring that every citizen, irrespective of their location, has access to quality healthcare. When in power, our government will take immediate steps to rectify this situation by filling all vacant positions and upgrading the existing healthcare infrastructure,” he affirmed.

The senior NC leader ensured the delegation and reiterated commitment of Omar Government in prioritizing public health and ensuring that the people of Jammu & Kashmir receive the medical attention they rightfully deserve.