* Remote areas worst hit by diagnostic vacuum
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 26: A sudden decision by the Jammu and Kashmir Government to halt tele-radiology services under the National Health Mission (NHM) has left dozens of Government health institutions grappling with an immediate diagnostic vacuum, raising serious concerns over patient care across the Union Territory.
The order, issued recently by the Mission Director, NHM J&K, directed the immediate discontinuation of all tele-radiology services, including reporting of CT scans and X-rays, pending the finalization of a fresh rate contract. The move has effectively snapped a critical diagnostic lifeline for hospitals, especially in far-flung and underserved areas.
For the past several years, these services were being provided by Krasnaa Diagnostics Limited, which covered 77 health institutions across J&K. The company enabled remote reporting by qualified radiologists, addressing the persistent shortage of specialists in Government hospitals.
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Official sources said the contract with Krasnaa Diagnostics, based on a Letter of Intent issued in 2019 and an MoU signed in 2020, expired on June 30, 2025, and was not extended thereafter. However, the firm had continued providing services to the covered health institutions.
Following a communication from the Administrative Department on April 20, the firm was asked to discontinue services with immediate effect. The timing of the decision has drawn criticism from within the healthcare system, as no alternative arrangement has been put in place.
The absence of radiology reporting has started to severely disrupt diagnosis and treatment, particularly in emergency and trauma cases, as a large number of sub-district hospitals, community health centres and even some district hospitals had become dependent on tele-radiology due to the acute shortage of radiologists.
Health experts pointed out that while the need for fresh tendering may be justified administratively, the lack of transition planning has exposed systemic gaps. “Stopping services without ensuring continuity will directly impact patient care. Diagnostics is the backbone of treatment, and any disruption can delay critical decisions,” said a senior doctor.
The development has also triggered questions over administrative delay, as the contract had lapsed nearly ten months ago, yet the process for finalizing a new rate contract was not completed in time.
Repeated attempts to contact Akriti Sagar, Mission Director, NHM J&K, for her comments proved futile, as she neither responded to repeated calls nor replied to messages.
With diagnostic services now abruptly halted, hospitals are left struggling to manage the growing backlog of CT scans and X-rays, while patients-particularly in rural areas-face uncertainty over timely diagnosis.
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