‘Infrastructure upgrades, operational shifts to improve specialist care’
Srinagar: To cut down on patient load and delays in specialised care, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, has initiated the process to fill around 1,100 vacant posts through the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC).
Director SKIMS Soura, Dr Ashraf Ganie, speaking to the media on the sidelines of the commissioning of high-end medical equipment and advanced diagnostic facilities at the institute on Wednesday, said the recruitment drive is crucial to addressing persistent manpower shortages that have impacted waiting time for consultations and surgeries, particularly in super-speciality departments.
“We have taken up around 1,100 posts for referral to recruiting agencies. Once these positions are filled, the institute will be in a much better position to handle patient flow,” the Director said.
Dr Ganie, however, said that waiting periods at SKIMS were still comparatively lower than those at leading institutions outside J&K. “In many premier hospitals, waiting time can stretch to months. At SKIMS, it is generally within six to twelve weeks in super-specialities,” he said.
To bring down delays, the institute is planning operational changes alongside recruitment. “Once adequate manpower is in place, we intend to start double shifts in outpatient departments and operation theatres. This will significantly reduce waiting time,” he added.
Officials said general medicine and general surgery departments continue to cater to patients on a daily basis, but super-speciality services remain under strain due to heavy demand.
Alongside staffing measures, SKIMS has undertaken a major overhaul of its medical infrastructure over the past two years. Dr Ganie said outdated and defunct equipment has been replaced, and gaps in critical care facilities have largely been addressed.
“We found that many essential machines had not been procured for years. Over the last two years, we have utilised the full budget and supplemented it with support from central agencies to upgrade facilities,” he said.
Among the key additions is a high-end linear accelerator for cancer treatment, procured at a cost of around Rs 39 crore, expected to be installed within the next few months—(KNO)
