Jammu, Mar 31 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha took a landmark step on Thursday to bridge a decades-old void in the Union Territory’s healthcare system by offering dedicated facilities to elderly and critically-ill ageing patients, and launched state-of-the-art palliative and geriatric care wards in all districts.
The LG observed that the need for accessible and effective geriatrics and palliative care has grown over the last several decades, but remained unaddressed in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The palliative and geriatric care wards, which I had the pleasure to inaugurate, demonstrate another social dimension. The initiative places the care of the elderly as a top priority of the entire healthcare ecosystem in our quest towards building a strong, prosperous and caring Union Territory,” he said.
Speaking about the transformation taking place in the health sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha said the government is introducing new reforms for developing a balanced healthcare ecosystem that promotes social equality, besides ensuring easily accessible quality health facilities for all.
This important stride in the healthcare sector truly symbolises Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of self-reliance, achieving excellence in modern health facilities for remote locations and reducing the urban-rural divide to deliver services at people’s doorstep, he added.
“Our efforts to reform the health sector have been impressive. We have addressed the health infrastructure issue with a comprehensive and long-term national vision under the guidance of the prime minister and even the far-flung areas now have adequate, affordable and reliable healthcare facilities,” the LG said.
New infrastructure has been built at a cost of Rs 7,177 crore and 140 projects have been completed by spending Rs 881 crore to strengthen basic health facilities in all the districts. Moreover, an amount of Rs 7,873 crore has been allocated for the health sector in this year’s budget, which will create unprecedented health facilities in the Union Territory, he noted.
Sinha expressed gratitude to doctors, paramedics and healthcare workers for their tireless contribution towards making Jammu and Kashmir a leading Union Territory in COVID-19 management and vaccination.
“To serve the one in need is our culture. We must dedicate ourselves to the service of mankind with responsibility, compassion and utmost sensitivity, and make the healthcare facilities easily accessible to all,” he said. PTI AB RC
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