“Six years of neglect can’t be undone in one year,” says Health Minister during Baramulla visit
Diplomat Correspondent
Baramulla, (DD)Health Minister Sakina Itoo on Wednesday said the ongoing shortage of doctors in remote and far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir is a legacy issue that cannot be resolved instantly. She emphasised that the current administration has inherited a broken system after years of neglect and is working steadily to fix it.
“You can’t expect a system that lacked doctors, staff, and basic infrastructure for six years to be repaired in just one. These are structural issues that need time and sustained effort,” she told reporters in Baramulla.
The minister said the government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has started addressing the healthcare crisis by boosting manpower and resources. “We’ve issued 309 appointment orders to degree-holders to serve in underserved regions. Just recently, we made 111 more appointments to strengthen frontline medical services,” she noted.
She added that recruitment of specialist doctors is also progressing through the Services Selection Board (SSB), and efforts are on to deploy them effectively where needed most.
While several new health centres and buildings have been constructed in recent years, Itoo admitted that many lack the necessary staff, equipment, and operational support. “We need to consolidate now. Infrastructure alone isn’t enough—without doctors, nurses, and equipment, buildings serve no real purpose,” she said.
Calling for collective responsibility, she urged all stakeholders to support the health reforms underway. “We need cooperation from the public, media, and departments. The government is committed to real, lasting improvements in healthcare delivery,” she asserted(DD)