Government keen to upgrade facilities in tertiary hospitals: Omar

Srinagar, July 10, (Scoop News)- Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Thursday said that Government will take all necessary measures for installation of PET-CT Scanner in Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences to upgrade modern medical facilities for the people relieving them of travelling AIMS, New Delhi for this facility. The Chief Minister has already approved Liver Transplantation Unit in SKIMS on which work has started.
Chairing 41st Governing Body Meeting of SKIMS here this morning, Omar Abdullah who is also Chairman of the Governing Body, said that Government is keen to further upgrade the facilities in SKIMS and other tertiary hospitals in public sector. He said modernization of health sector is being carried forward by the Government on priority.
The Chief Minister said that during last five years various initiatives have been taken to upgrade and modernize facilities in SKIMS and other health institutions besides extending healthcare facilities in the rural and urban areas of the State. He said he is keen to see SKIMS growing as one of the leading tertiary health institution in the Country and providing all kinds of modern treatment to the patients qualitatively at the lowest cost comparatively. He said his government has taken many new initiatives to achieve this goal.
The Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary, Planning, B. R. Sharma, Principal Secretary, Finance, B. B. Vyas, Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Gazanfar Hussain, Director SKIMS, Prof. Showkat Hussain Zargar and other Members of the Governing Body participated in the meeting.
In a power point presentation, Director SKIMS stated that six modern facilities approved by the Chief Minister have been put in place in SKIMS and are functional presently in the Hospital. These include Liner-Multi Slice CT Scan, New Emergency Operation Theatre, renovation of sanitation project and Modern units for treatment of Cancer and other critical diseases. He said renovation of sanitation project has been initiated after a long period of 35 years and has been completed at a cost of Rs.3.50 crore.
Prof. Zargar said that 24-beded Surgical ICU is under execution at a cost of Rs.5.50 crore. He said Diagnostic Lab and 120-beded new ward block is also being taken in hand at a cost of over Rs.40 crore. In addition, the work on the establishment of OTs has been started. He said Advance Cancer Immunology Diagnostic Lab and Viral Diagnostic Lab is being established in the institution at a cost of over Rs. 20 crore.
The Director SKIMS said that the doctors of SKIMS have conducted 30 cancer surgeries outside SKIMS at Jawahar Lal Nehru Hospital, Rainawari, District Hospital, Baramula and Sub-district Hospital, Handwara. He said Chemotherapy treatment has also been given to the patients in Handwara and Kargil.
The Governing Body reviewed the action taken on the decisions made in the last meeting as also discussed agenda items including reconstitution of Standing Committees, utilization of retained 75% of the revenue by the SKIMS for development of infrastructure and procurement of equipment and machinery.
The meeting also discussed issues relating to the enhancement of superannuation age for faculty and teaching faculty of SKIMS, Bemina Hospital and Nursing College. It also discussed proposals regarding creation of Advanced Paediatric Centre at SKIMS.