Jammu and Kashmir faces healthcare staff shortages and high rental costs

The Jammu and Kashmir government has acknowledged staff shortages in several healthcare institutions across the Union Territory. Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly that the extent of these shortages varies based on sanctioned strength, vacancies, and specific functional requirements. To mitigate the impact, the department is utilizing rational deployment of existing staff and engaging personnel through the National Health Mission (NHM).

Minister Itoo noted that services at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and within the Srinagar district are operating normally. The government is working to address vacancies through recruitment and other permissible arrangements to ensure continuity of patient care.

Additionally, the Assembly was informed that 2,241 health institutions in Jammu and Kashmir are currently operating out of private or rented buildings. This arrangement results in a monthly recurring rental expenditure of approximately Rs 52.75 lakh, totaling over Rs 6 crore annually. The government stated it aims to develop permanent infrastructure to modernize services and reduce these costs, though such an undertaking would require thousands of crores of rupees, which currently exceeds available financial resources.