J-K registered significant decline in IMR in last one year: LG

Jammu and Kashmir has registered a significant decline in the Infant Mortality Rate during the last one year and the administration envisions to further decrease the maternal and child mortality to establish the union territory at the forefront of providing quality healthcare, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said here on Monday.

The Lieutenant Governor inaugurated J-K's first Maternal and Child Health Conclave at SKICC. On the occasion, the LG also dedicated Paediatric wards, ICUs, Maternal ICUs to the public.

The Lt Governor said the conclave will provide a unique platform to deliberate upon challenges, opportunities and newer initiatives in Maternal and Child healthcare.

He said the UT has registered significant decline in the Infant Mortality Rate during the last one year and the administration envisions to further decrease the Maternal and Child mortality to establish UT at the forefront of providing quality healthcare.

Sinha stressed that the medical institutions must provide a big canvas to our researchers and doctors who are talented and capable to produce path-breaking inventions in the healthcare.

''I hope that our talent pool will be responsive to such opportunities and take full advantage of it for larger public interest,'' he added.

The Lt Governor urged the premier medical colleges, super specialty hospitals and other health institutions to encourage research and new innovations at the grassroots level to further strengthen the health safety net in the UT.

“We have taken decisive steps to address healthcare challenges and enhancing access to health facilities in remote areas. I am grateful to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for providing best health infrastructure to UT of J-K. It has given a new hope and confidence to healthcare sector,” the Lt Governor said.

Highlighting the major strides in the healthcare ecosystem of the UT, the Lt Governor said J-K has the unique distinction of being the first UT of the country with two AIIMS and two Cancer Institutes, besides seven new medical colleges have been established in the UT in just eight years. Apart from this, the Prime Minister also launched the Ayushman Bharat-Sehat Scheme in December 2020, extending health insurance of Rs 5 lakh per family to every citizen without any discrimination.

It was also informed that in a span of just two years, 2209 health and wellness centres have been established which are providing health facilities to the people even in far flung areas, besides 211 ambulances are providing 24X7 facilities in Jammu and Kashmir Divisions in addition to 286 general ambulances which are serving the people.

Sixty four Advanced Life Support Ambulances were also inducted into the fleet to fill all the existing gaps in healthcare in saving precious lives.

Medicity projects are being started in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions with an investment of about Rs 4,575 crore, which will create 1,000 MBBS seats, provide employment opportunities to thousands of medical professionals and would add thousands of additional beds for patients in health facilities, it was informed.