Continuing with his meetings with union ministers to seek central assistance for development projects in Jammu & Kashmir, the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah underscored the need for setting up of a 400-bed maternity hospital in J&K to reduce the heavy rush on the existing maternity facilities in the State and asked the union government to raise the central assistance to new maternity hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar.
In a meeting with Union Health Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss here late last night in New Delhi, the Chief Minister put forth the need to upgrade the health infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir.
Dr Ramadoss assured the Chief Minister that efforts will be made to raise the resources and the Planning Commission will be approached in this regard.
Political Advisor to Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, Principal Resident Commissioner,. S. S. Sahni and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Khurshid Ahmed Ganai were present in the meeting.
From the Centre, Secretary, Ministry of Health, Naresh Dayal, Director, National Rural Health Mission, G.C. Chaturvedi and other senior officers of the union Ministry of Health assisted the Union Minister.
Omar also raised the issue of regularization of the students of Dental College, Jammu and he was assured that the Ministry has taken up the issue with Dental Council of India. He also asked for imparting super specialty training to the doctors of the State at some premier health institutes of the country which was readily agreed to by Dr. Ramadoss who promised the Chief Minister that the J&K will be given all possible help in training the doctors and paramedical staff for super specialties being created in the State under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna.
Dr Ramadoss appreciated the efforts of the Chief Minister to rejuvenate the health sector in the State. "We recognize the special circumstances of J&K and we will do our best to ensure the best possible healthcare for the people of the State", he added.
The Chief Minister also brought to the notice of Dr. Ramadoss the immense potential of growing medicinal plants in the State saying Jammu & Kashmir provides for ideal climatic and geographical conditions for the same. Dr. Ramadoss assured the Chief Minister that he would ask the National Medicinal Plant Mission to examine the suggestion.