Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 16: Despite tall promises of world-class healthcare, the prestigious AIIMS projects in Jammu and Kashmir continue to present a grim picture on the ground, marked by chronic staff shortages and prolonged delays.
While AIIMS Jammu is functioning only partially with a large number of key posts lying vacant, AIIMS Awantipora in south Kashmir remains virtually non-existent for patients, with construction still incomplete and almost no manpower in place, raising serious concerns over planning, execution and commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in the Union Territory.
Responding to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare admitted that while AIIMS Jammu has been declared functional, it is operating under significant constraints. The institute is running with only 120 faculty members against a sanctioned strength of 183, leaving 63 crucial teaching posts vacant. The shortage extends to non-faculty staff as well, with 363 vacancies still unfilled out of 1,311 sanctioned posts.
Though the Government claims that 34 departments, including several super-specialty services, are functional at AIIMS Jammu, the large number of vacancies has raised questions about the quality, sustainability and expansion of healthcare services at the institute.
The picture is far grimmer at AIIMS Awantipora in south Kashmir. The Government conceded that the Institute is still under construction, with only 70 per cent physical progress achieved so far. More alarming is the fact that not a single faculty member has been appointed against 94 sanctioned posts.
In the non-faculty category, only seven posts have been filled out of 252, leaving a staggering 245 vacancies. With no doctors, teachers or adequate support staff in place, the institute remains completely non-functional, despite repeated assurances over the years.
The Ministry attributed the delays and staff shortages to factors such as availability of qualified professionals, regulatory clearances and project management issues. However, the reply failed to provide any concrete timeline for the full operationalization of AIIMS Jammu or the long-awaited commencement of services at AIIMS Awantipora, further fuelling concerns about administrative apathy and lack of urgency.
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