Pulwama: Minister for Health, Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education Sakina Itoo, on Sunday said that a major reshuffle of doctors across Jammu and Kashmir is inevitable to improve healthcare delivery and ensure better patient care.
Speaking to media persons during her surprise visit to District Hospital Pulwama, Minister Sakina said, “Doctors have been sitting at the same places for 5, 10, or even more years. There is a dire need for reshuffling, and going forward, our next steps will focus on this. A major reshuffle is absolutely necessary.”
She said doctors who have been posted at one location for more than three or four years will be shifted. “This is essential to improve the healthcare system. For example, if an operation theatre in any hospital is closed and a patient in need of emergency surgery has to be shifted to another facility, their life may be lost on the way. In such cases, there must be accountability,” she remarked.
Dr. Itoo expressed serious concern over the poor arrangements and unhygienic conditions she witnessed at the Pulwama hospital. “This government, under the leadership of Omar Abdullah, cannot compromise on patient care. When I came here today, I found no proper arrangements for cleanliness. The bad smell was unbearable enough to make even a healthy person fall sick, let alone a patient whose condition could worsen. Everything must be improved,” she said.
Pointing out a serious lapse in staffing, she added, “Here, 40 doctors are posted, but when I arrived, only 4 were present. It may be Sunday, but patients are coming in large numbers. Patient care is our top priority, and whatever steps are needed to fix this, we will take them immediately.”
Dr. Itoo also said that similar issues exist in other hospitals. “Yesterday, I visited Qazigund Emergency Hospital, and today I am here. Across hospitals, we are seeing patterns of neglect that need urgent correction. These habits, developed over the last 10 years, need to change. We must bring the system back on track.”
The Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to improving emergency preparedness, including ensuring that operation theatres remain functional, emergency cases receive timely care, and patient safety is prioritized.
“Our government inherited a healthcare system with serious deficiencies in infrastructure, staffing, and management. But we are committed to fixing them. The government I serve, under the leadership of Omar Abdullah, is dedicated to ensuring that people of Jammu and Kashmir receive the best possible healthcare. There will be no compromise on this,” she assured.
Dr. Itoo further said the administration is reviewing all aspects of the health sector, including staff deployment, hospital hygiene, and emergency care systems. “We will take strong measures very soon. These changes will help save lives in critical situations like blood loss cases or heart attack patients who need immediate treatment. InshaAllah, we will ensure these problems are resolved quickly,” she added.
It is pertinent to mention that widespread public outrage erupted after the SMHS incident, where patient care was severely disrupted due to a doctors’ strike that escalated following the alleged slapping of a doctor by an attendant.
In response, Health Minister Sakina Itoo has been conducting surprise visits to hospitals across the Valley including JVC Bemina, SMHS, Qazigund, and, most recently, Pulwama Hospital where she found alarming gaps in patient care and an absence of adequate medical staff. (JKNS)
