No proposal under consideration to upgrade PHCs
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Nov 5: Jammu and Kashmir has more Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs) than the number admissible under the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) 2022.
With a focus on consolidation, the Government has also stated that the Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department is currently not considering any proposal to upgrade Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to the next level.
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Responding to a series of clubbed questions-from Jammu as well as Kashmir divisions-raised in the Legislative Assembly on the upgradation of health centres, the Department stated that J&K is presently focusing on the consolidation and strengthening of existing health facilities rather than creating new ones.
“As around 4,000 health institutions exist at various levels – primary, secondary and tertiary – J&K ranks among the top large States and UTs in terms of health institution density,” the Department said in its reply.
Citing a 2023 report published by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, the Department noted that J&K has one health institution for every 3,500 people, compared to the national average of one per 6,000 people.
The Department clarified that under IPHS-2022 norms, districts with populations below five lakh and having a functional District Hospital do not require an SDH, while districts with populations between five and 10 lakh can have one SDH.
“Thereafter, one SDH may be established for every 10 lakh population.”
This implies, the Department said, that a district with a population of up to 20 lakh can have one District Hospital and two Sub-District Hospitals, “whereas each district of J&K has much more SDHs than the admissibility as per IPHS-2022.”
It added that efforts are being made to strengthen existing institutions in accordance with IPHS-2022 norms and to enhance public access to healthcare through rationalisation and the development of telemedicine facilities under a “hub and spoke” model.
On questions regarding the upgradation of PHCs at Trehgam, Purmandal, Devsar, Qoimoh, Frisal and Arnia, the Department reiterated that it is “not considering any proposal for upgradation of PHCs to the next level at present.”
Regarding staffing issues, the Department said medical and paramedical staff, as well as diagnostic facilities, are already available at PHC Purmandal and that requirements are regularly reviewed to ensure effective service delivery.
On whether the Government proposes to tackle manpower deficiencies in various health centres in the Devsar constituency by engaging adhoc staff under the Hospital Development Fund (HDF), the Department clarified that “there is no such proposal under consideration.”
It further noted that a Government ban remains in force on all forms of casual, seasonal, adhoc, and need-based appointments in Government Departments and PSUs, as per Finance Department Order No. 43-F of 2015 and GAD Circular No. 30-GAD of 2019.
“Accordingly, the engagement of staff under Hospital Development Funds on any such basis does not fall within the permissible framework of the existing Government instructions,” the Department added.
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