Current Matters
Jammu, September 30: The health sector of Jammu and Kashmir has shown tremendous improvement in recent few years but the situation in rural areas still demands for certain immediate corrective measures. The most important aspect is enhanced manpower and modern health infrastructure in Primary Health Centres. The
Central government has provided liberal funds to improve the health sector in Jammu and Kashmir during the last ten years. The recent statistics, tabled in the Parliament, revealed that only 21 percent of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are functioning on a 24×7 basPHCCn rural pockets of the Union Territory. It contradicted the claims of authorities that Jammu and Kashmir’s health infrastructure has improved considerably. There are a total of 891 functional PHCs in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which only 185 PHCs remain operational round-the-clock, while the remaining PHCs work purely on official timing of 10 am to 4 pm and remain closed on Sundays. Over 700 PHCs don’t function on a 24×7 basis, thereby forcing the poor and needy people of rural areas to shift their patients to cities and towns in case of emergency. The number of PHCs in rural areas has increased from 334 in 2005 to 891 in 2022 but no serious efforts have been made to ensure round-the-clock healthcare facilities in these institutions. As many as 179 PHCs are still functioning from rented buildings in J&K, while the remaining 648 PHCs have their own government buildings. Out of 179 PHCs in rented accommodations, the government does not pay rent for 64 buildings housing PHCs. If one looks at the funds provided by the Government of India to improve the health sector in Jammu and Kashmir, it has come to fore that over Rs 4,000 crore have been pumped in the Union Territory. Painting a grim picture of poor infrastructure in PHCs, nearly 39 percent PHCs have a labour room for pregnant women, while just five percent PHCs have the facility of Operation Theatre (OT) in rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Around 46 percent have the facility of 4 beds and 102 PHCs don’t have electric supply. Moreover, 78 PHCs are without regular water supply, forcing health staff to fetch water from nearby resources. The healthcare system involves a three-tier system with sub health centre (rural), PHC (urban and rural) and Community Health Centre (urban and rural). These are the three pillars of the primary health care system in J&K and the rest of the country. Furthermore, there are a total of 2,429 sub-centres functioning in rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 1,557 centres don’t have their own buildings and they are operating from rented accommodations. A total of 1,679 are required to be constructed in rural areas for sub-centres operating from rented accommodations. The moot question arises to why the health sector has failed to come up to the expectations of the people. The Central government should order a comprehensive audit of all funds provided to Jammu and Kashmir in the health sector and fix the responsibility in case of any official lapses. An enquiry should also be ordered to see whether the established norms of government like a Sub-Health Centre for a population of 5,000 (in plain) and 3000 (in hilly and tribal area) in rural areas, a PHC for a population of 30,000 (in plains) and 20,000 (in hilly and tribal areas) and Community Health Centre for a population of 1,20,000 (in plain) and 80,000 (in hilly and tribal area) have been adhered to.
