Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 16: After successful functioning of the Kidney and Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation units in SKIMS during the last two years, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today approved Liver Transplantation Unit for the Medical Institute and said that he is keen to see SKIMS emerging as one of the leading referral hospitals in the country so as the people from the State need not to visit outside for specialized treatments.
Giving nod to a proposal in this regard at the 40th Governing Body meeting of SKIMS here this afternoon, the Chief Minister approved yearly grant of Rs. one crore for placement of trained staff for making the Liver Transplantation Unit functional.
This facility at SKIMS would be yet another landmark initiative of the Omar Abdullah-led Government after the establishment of Autologous Bone Marrow and Kidney Transplantation Units and installation of PET-Scan in PPP mode at a cost of over Rs. 22 crores opening shortly.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Chief Secretary, Mohamaad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary Planning and Development, B. R. Sharma, Principal Secretary Finance, B. B. Vyas, Commissioner Secr-etary Health, Shaleen Kabra, Director SKIMS, Prof. Showkat Ali Zargar and other members of the Governing Body.
The Chief Minister said that expansion and upgradation of health facility in the State has been flagged as one of the most important concern in the State’s development policy. He said various Super Specialty Hospitals are being strengthened, upgraded and established in the two Capitals of Jammu and Srinagar. He said District, Sub-District Hospitals, Primary Health Centres, Sub-centres, Dispensaries and various medical units have been established in the State during the last four and the half years.
Omar Abdullah said that consolidation and placement of staff in rural health centres has been also given focused attention. He said flagship programmes are being implemented in the health sector to ensure better medicare coverage to the people across the State.
In his PowerPoint presentation, Director SKIMS, Prof. Showkat Ali Zargar gave detailed account of the achievements registered by the SKIMS in rendering specialized medical service to the people besides upgrading equipment and infrastructure.
Prof. Zargar said that within two weeks time Barachyleraty machine is being installed in the Gastroenterology Department while Linear Acceleratar costing Rs. 13 crores is being installed in the Medical Institute. He said advanced Cancer Immunology Diagnostic Lab costing Rs. 5.22 crore is proposed in the Bio-technology Department. He said Centre for Bio-informatics has also been approved for SKIMS. He said renovation of infrastructure has been completed at a cost of over Rs. 6 crores. He said two Sarais are likely to be completed by January 2014 adding that Sarai No. 1 will be commissioned in December 2013.
Prof. Zargar also gave details of the construction of three storey Maternity Hospital, two Lecture Halls and successful Endoscopic Brain Surgeries conducted in the Medical Institute.
The meeting took stock of the follow up action taken on the decisions of previous Governing Body meeting. It discussed matters relating to extension of emergency units, procurement of chemicals, reagents, kits, artificial devices, surgical disposables and other accessories.
The Governing Body also discussed matters regarding administration, consultancy and establishment of resource centre.
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