Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 31: All India Registered Nurses Federation (AIRNF), Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Committee, has strongly demanded immediate recruitment of nursing staff in all Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) across the Union Territory, citing an alarming shortage that is adversely affecting patient care.
State president of AIRNF, Vishav Sharma, appealed to the J&K Government to initiate fast-track recruitment of nurses in all GMCs. He pointed out that no permanent nursing staff has been recruited since 2019, despite a continuous expansion of healthcare infrastructure. New wards, critical care sections, and specialty units have been added, while the patient load has increased manifold, putting excessive pressure on already overburdened nursing staff.
Sharma emphasized that the disturbed nurse–patient ratio has become a serious concern in almost every GMC of J&K, directly compromising the quality of patient care and safety. “Every GMC is facing an acute shortage of nurses, and the situation is worsening day by day,” he said.
Highlighting the employment crisis among nursing graduates, AIRNF stated that around 800–1000 nursing students complete their degrees every year in J&K, yet most are forced to compete only in Central Government examinations due to the non-conduct of regular permanent recruitments by JKSSB. This has resulted in growing frustration and migration of skilled nursing professionals from the Union Territory.
The Federation also raised serious concerns over newly established medical colleges, including GMC Handwara and GMC Udhampur, where no permanent nursing recruitment has been carried out by the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department so far, despite these institutions being functional.
In addition, AIRNF strongly stressed the urgent need for permanent faculty recruitment in all Government Nursing Colleges of J&K. He noted that many Government nursing colleges in the UT do not have even a single permanent faculty member and on the other hand highly qualified nurses are left unemployed.
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