Srinagar: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh asked the authorities to strengthen the existing facilities for both the children and women in the best advancement of the medical system in Kashmir Valley.
A bench of Chief Justice Ali Mohammad Margey and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul made the observation while closing a suo moto Public Interest Litigation following a representation before it for preservation of space for child and female patients including pregnant women at Jehlum Valley College, Bemina.
The court closed the PIL after perusing response filed by Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education Department, stating therein that a separate paediatrics hospital having specialties in paediatrics department like paediatric surgery, paediatric cardiology, paediatric oncology, paediatric gastroenterology etc has been established at Bemina, near Hajj House, Srinagar. The response also revealed that two new two New Maternity Hospitals of 200 beds capacity each were sanctioned by the Ministry of Health & family Welfare, Government of India, one each at Srinagar and Jammu, to strengthen the maternity related services and facilities in the J&K.
These sites were finalized at Bemina, Srinagar and Govt. Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Jammu. The sites for both these projects viz. Maternity Hospital and Paediatrics Hospital were identified adjacently at Bemina, Srinagar, the response reads.
The government also submitted that while the progress of execution of Maternity Hospital Srinagar was advancing towards its completion, the Principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar mooted a proposal to convert the complete complex of 200-Bedded Maternity Hospital and 300-bedded Paediatrics Hospital into a full- fledged 500-bedded paediatrics Hospital due to the reasons that maternity related services in the L.D Hospital, Srinagar have been substantially strengthened by way of construction of additional 200- bedded block and the same has been made functional also. Further, another 200- bedded block has also been approved under World Bank Funding for L.D Hospital Srinagar raising the existing bed strength from 500 beds to 900 beds.
“The detailed response/status report filed by the Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education Department, in terms of order dated 4th December 2019 satisfies the requirements for care of both children and women so far as the medical facilities are concerned,” the court said, adding, “Therefore, we are inclined to close this Public Interest Litigation with the observation that the authorities will strengthen the existing facilities in these Hospitals for both the children and women in the best advancement of medical system.”
