Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 5: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today inaugurated the 150-bedded Ujala Cygnus Kashmir Superspeciality Hospital in Nowgam.
The Lt Governor said that the new state-of-the-art hospital, equipped with all the advanced medical facilities, will strengthen the Government’s efforts of ensuring quality healthcare services to the people of J&K, besides generating employment opportunities for the locals.
To protect the health of citizens is the foremost responsibility of the administration. The UT Government is partnering with renowned healthcare companies, bringing private players on board and facilitating all such efforts to bridge the health gap for extending affordable & accessible healthcare facilities for all segments of society, observed the Lt Governor.
Highlighting the major strides made in the healthcare ecosystem, the Lt Governor said, J&K, once struggling to cater to the healthcare needs of the people is now emerging as one of the leading states/UTs in various health parameters.
Even after 67 years of Independence, there were only three medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seven new medical colleges have been established in the UT in just eight years. J&K has the unique distinction of being the first UT of the country with two AIIMS, the Lt Governor observed.
Moreover, J&K is getting a much higher average per capita healthcare budget allocation than many states having more than twice the population, the Lt Governor further added.
Within a year, 22 proposals worth Rs 4400 crore have been approved for developing Medicity in Jammu and Kashmir, which will create additional 1000 MBBS seats, and add thousands of beds for patients in health facilities, besides providing large employment opportunities to medical professionals, noted the Lt Governor.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the neonatal mortality rate has come down to 9.8, which is way less than the national average of 24.9 (Per 1000 live births). The national average of infant mortality rate is 35.2 while in Jammu and Kashmir, it is 16.3. J&K’s under-5 mortality rate is 18.5 as compared to national average of 41.9. Sex ratio at birth- National average is 929 whereas in Jammu and Kashmir, it is 976. The UT of J&K is also in a better position in the country with 92.4% Institutional births, 96.5% Fully Immunized Children, besides having Life Expectancy Rate of 74, informed the Lt Governor.
Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary while speaking on the occasion observed that inauguration of Ujala Cygnus Hospital marks the beginning of medical tourism in J&K.
Probal Goshal, Executive Chairman, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals’ expressed his commitment to providing highest standard healthcare services to the people of J&K. Digital and physical healthcare services shall be provided to people even residing in far flung areas for the well-being of people, he added.
Founders & Directors, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, Dr Shuchin Bajaj and Dr Dinesh Batra, delivered the welcome address and the Vote of thanks respectively.
Pandurang K Pole, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Shashidhar Pathak, Sr Editor Amar Ujala; Dr. Pervez Sofi, Managing Director, Ujala Cygnus Kashmir Superspeciality Hospital, besides senior officers of Army, Paramilitary, District Administration, Doctors, and Nursing staff were present on the occasion.
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