The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday approved the establishment of two medi-cities, one each in Kashmir and the Jammu division. A decision in this regard was taken in the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council (AC) meeting held under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The Administrative Council (AC) approved the proposal of the Industries and Commerce Department to establish two medi-cities, one each at Sempora, Pampore in the Valley, and Miransahib in the Jammu division.
The decision aims at strengthening the health services in the Union Territory and supporting recovery and disaster resilience in calamity-prone areas by increasing the government's capacity to promptly respond to emergencies.
The medicity in Kashmir division will be established in an area of Sempora, Pampore Pulwama. The centrality of the place will act as a focal point for the whole population of the Valley for specialized health services.
Similarly, Medicity in Jammu division will be established at Miransahib, Jammu. The land is ideally located close to the main city and can cater to the medical service requirements of the entire division.
J&K Govt woos investors towards private investment in the healthcare sector
Pertinently, the setting up of new medical and higher education institutions in the private sector is a part of the new Industrial Policy. To woo private investors in the health sector is part of the new J&K Industrial Land Allotment Policy of the J&K government.
The recently prepared health investment policy document also emphasized wooing private investment in the health sector to minimize the burden on the overburdened public health sector in J&K.
As the public health sector is overburdened in Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K's Healthcare Investment policy aims to boost investments in the private healthcare sector by wooing investors. According to reports, J&K has received investment proposals of over Rs 3,000 crore in the health-care and medical education sectors.
Government had earlier promised to set up medi-cities
After the abrogation of Article 370, the J&K government had approved a policy document to offer land to private players for setting up two medi-cities in the erstwhile state.
The medi-cities will include medical colleges and hospitals, super specialty centres of excellence, nursing, pharmaceuticals, hospital management, and dental colleges, Ayurvedic colleges and hospitals and medical education hubs, AYUSH centers, research centers with residential areas, staff quarters, and guest houses.
Govt approves up-gradation of Indira Gandhi Government Dental College
The Administrative Council (AC) also accorded the administrative approval to the construction of an additional block of Indira Gandhi Government Dental College, Jammu at an estimated cost of Rs. 44.46 crore.
The construction of the new block will cater to the increased patient load by creating infrastructure for several clinical departments including hospital administration, emergency section, operation theatre, wards, prosthodontics & dental material department, pedodontics department, oral pathology, dental histology department, and community dentistry department.
The enhanced infrastructure will also remove the deficiency pointed out by the team of the Dental Council of India (DCI) during their visit to the college in terms of insufficient building infrastructure for starting PG Courses in the next session.
The decision is aimed at providing quality dental services to the public and introducing post-graduate courses in dental care. It will also support the up-gradation of vital dental care services on modern grounds.
