Paediatrics MD Seats Increased as Chief Secretary Inspects Srinagar Hospitals

SRINAGAR: During Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo’s inspection of paediatric and orthopaedic healthcare facilities in Srinagar on Friday, it was informed that MD seats in General Paediatrics will be enhanced from 17 to 21.

During his visit to the 500-bedded Government Children Hospital in Bemina, the Chief Secretary reviewed the services provided under 16 newly established paediatric super-specialties. He expressed satisfaction over the fellowship programmes in Neonatology and Neurology, with a proposed fellowship in Paediatric Nephrology also on the cards.

Dulloo was accompanied by Secretary of the Health and Medical Education Department, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; Principal of Government Medical College Srinagar, Prof (Dr) Iffat Hassan Shah; and Administrator of Associated Hospitals GMC Srinagar, Mohammad Ashraf Hakaak.

The Chief Secretary toured key hospital sections including the NICU, PICU, Dialysis Centre, and the Paediatric Surgery theatre. He directed the Roads & Buildings Department to expedite the construction of a new Diagnostic Block, which will house CT, MRI, and digital radiography facilities, and allow for vertical expansion by three additional floors.

A detailed presentation was made covering departments such as Paediatric Surgery, Nephrology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonology, and Radiology. The hospital was commended for bringing down Neonatal and Infant Mortality Rates below the national average.

Later, at the Bone and Joint Hospital in Barzulla, the Chief Secretary inspected the newly inaugurated 160-bedded block and reviewed overall infrastructure, operational theatres, and patient care facilities. He emphasised that the upgraded capacity must directly translate into improved services for patients across the Kashmir Valley.

Reiterating the administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare, Dulloo said the government remains focused on expanding specialised services and ensuring equitable access to quality medical care across Jammu and Kashmir.