Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 18: Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam today said the functioning of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura involves larger social issue linked to the public healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The immediate concern of the Governor’s Administration is to restore the stature of this premier institution so that it comes up as a research-oriented healthcare facility,” Chief Secretary said at a meeting with the staff, faculty and administration of the institute during his visit to SKIMS, on the last leg of his 3-day tour to Kashmir.
He asked the SKIMS administration to focus on improving professional and academic stature of this premiere teaching, training, research and healthcare institution for which he assured liberal financial assistance from the Government.
“While we have finest and talented Medical professionals available in SKIMS, the need is to just think out of box to bring it up as a world class tertiary care facility,” he said and assured that funds are not an issue for the Government. “SKIMS shall not suffer for want of funds. But don’t be incremental. Think big and think grand, we in the Government are there to support you,” he maintained.
Chief Secretary observed that while infrastructure upgradation is critical to providing improved healthcare facilities, there should be matching thrust on advancement of academic and research activities at the Institute. “There has to be renewed focus on streamlining SKIMS functioning to secure the trust and esteem of the public at large and all stakeholders,” he said and added that to achieve these objectives it has to be ensured that the services and the quality of healthcare are significantly improved.
Chief Secretary asked SKIMS administration to focus on tertiary care and set up a process for screening of patients at district level before they are referred to SKIMS. “You can set up Outreach Clinics in districts to reduce the load of patients while focussing on promoting more research with external funding and capacity building in medical care,” he said.
Chief Secretary remarked that the matter of referring files regarding the infrastructure development and other issues at SKIMS to the Civil Secretariat frequently must stop. “The interface of the SKIMS with the Government should be limited to Governing Body meetings. We will explore ways for delegation of financial powers and restructuring of various committees for making SKIMS a truly autonomous institution,” he said.
Chief Secretary also visited wards, some facilities and interacted with the faculty of different departments whom he complimented for their dedication and untiring efforts to provide best possible healthcare facilities to common people.
Director SKIMS Umar Javed Shah, administrative officers of the tertiary care facility and senior faculty members of the institution also accompanied the Chief Secretary during his visit.
Follow our WhatsApp channel