Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 7: The Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, (SKIMS) Soura would get Rs. 37 crore for further strengthening the healthcare facilities from the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
This announcement was made today by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, during his visit to the institution. He further announced Rs. 6 crore for procurement of upgraded and latest diagnostic equipments to Department of Oncology, Cancer Centre at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital, Srinagar.
Minister for Medical Education R S Chib accompanied the Union Minister during the visit.
Mr Azad, who was on the tour of the State to take stock of the healthcare facilities in the State, asserted that Union Government would provide all possible financial assistance to the State Government for modernizing and upgradation of health care sector, adding that in this regard so far liberal financial assistance have been provided to the State.
Earlier, Mr. Azad visited SKIMS, Soura and inspected various wards of the premier health institution. He interacted with patients and enquired about the medical facilities being provided to them in the hospital. During his visit, some individuals also met him and apprised him about the problems being confronted to them in the hospital. They demanded additional beds in emergency ward and establishment of additional latest diagnostic equipments for the convenience of the patients.
Chairing high level meeting of officers in SKIMS, the Union Minister said that the capacity of students for SKIMS, Medical College, Bemina would be enhanced to 100 from existing capacity of 50 students. He sought proposal from Director, SKIMS for conversation of Advanced Trauma Centre into Poly Trauma Centre for making it resource centre. He also directed for formulation of proposal for establishment of full fledge cancer ward in the institute.
Meanwhile, Mr. Azad visited under construction building of up-coming Super-specialty hospital and took stock of the pace of construction work on the project. He asked the executing agency to accelerate the pace of construction work so that it could be completed by the end of this year and could be commissioned for the benefit of people.
Later, the Union Minister visited Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital and took stock of the functioning of the hospital. He went round various wards including emergency ward, emergency surgical ward and Radiation Oncology block, a Cancer centre established in the hospital. Interacting with the patients, he said that free medicines and diagnostic facilities would be provided to the patients belong to BPL category provided the certificate should be issued from a competent authority.
Briefing media, Mr. Azad said that the Union Government has sanctioned Rs. 37 crore upgradation of infrastructure and procurement of latest diagnostic equipments for SKIMS. He also announced Rs. 6 crore for further strengthening the existing Department of Oncology, Cancer Centre at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital, Srinagar. He said certain latest diagnostic equipments and required services have already been introduced in the centre for the treatment of patients suffering from fatal disease cancer. He said the Government is also working for the establishment of another cancer centre for the facility of the cancer patients in the Valley.
Among others, Union Joint Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Vishwas Mehta, Union Additional Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Anuradha Gupta, Secretary, Health and Medical Education, M K Dwivedi, Director, SKIMS, Dr. Showkat Zargar, Principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Dr Qazi Masood, besides other senior officers of the department accompanied the Union Minister.