Jammu & Kashmir: Newly appointed Medical Officers under the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Health and Medical Education received their appointment orders from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at a ceremony held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on Tuesday.
Personally handing over the appointment orders to doctors posted across Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah congratulated them on entering government service and urged them to view their appointments as the beginning of a new chapter focused on serving the people.
Omar Abdullah Urges Doctors to Serve Remote Areas
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the appointments marked the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance and sacrifice by the young doctors and their families.
Recalling the demanding journey of medical education, including training, internship and recruitment, Abdullah said the newly appointed Medical Officers had earned their positions through sustained effort. However, he emphasised that entering government service, particularly in the healthcare sector, brought greater responsibility.
The Chief Minister urged the doctors to serve wherever they were posted, with particular emphasis on remote and underserved areas.
He said strengthening healthcare delivery at the grassroots level was essential to reducing the pressure on major hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar.
Government Wants Routine Treatment Closer to Patients
Abdullah said people should not have to travel from sub-district and district hospitals to Jammu or Srinagar for routine medical procedures and treatment.
He cited normal deliveries as well as gallbladder and appendicitis surgeries as examples of services that should be available at the sub-district level, or at least at district hospitals where sub-district facilities are not equipped to provide them.
The Chief Minister said newly appointed doctors would have an important role in changing the existing situation by ensuring quality and accessible healthcare closer to where people live.
Infrastructure and Connectivity for Remote Postings
Abdullah acknowledged that doctors posted in remote areas would reasonably expect the Government to provide adequate infrastructure, connectivity and suitable working conditions.
He assured the doctors that the Government would continue working to improve service conditions and healthcare infrastructure so that they could perform their duties effectively.
The Chief Minister also called for a change in the perception surrounding postings in remote areas, noting that even relatively accessible locations were sometimes viewed as difficult postings.
Health and Education Key to J&K’s Development
Abdullah said education and healthcare were the two fundamental pillars of Jammu and Kashmir’s development.
He stated that progress in other sectors would not achieve its full potential unless the population was educated and healthy. The Government, therefore, was giving particular importance to programmes and initiatives undertaken by the Education and Health departments.
Government Expanding Access to Medical Education
The Chief Minister also highlighted government efforts to make medical education more accessible in Jammu and Kashmir by substantially subsidising medical education.
He noted that government medical colleges in the Union Territory provide medical education at comparatively lower costs than many other states.
Abdullah said the Government accepted the expenditure involved because it wanted to increase the number of doctors being produced. He also stated that steps had been taken in coordination with the Centre to increase the intake capacity of medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir.
Government Assures Support to Newly Appointed Doctors
Addressing the newly appointed Medical Officers, Abdullah assured them of continued Government support and said efforts would be made to improve their service conditions so they could perform their responsibilities without fear.
He also said the Government would continue improving healthcare infrastructure and addressing shortages in medical colleges.
The Chief Minister called upon the doctors to make the most of their careers in public service, urging them to work with dedication and compassion and contribute to the development of Jammu and Kashmir.
Health Minister and Senior Officials Attend Ceremony
Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Itoo, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education M. Raju, Mission Director, National Health Mission J&K Akriti Sagar, faculty members of Health Services Kashmir, newly appointed Medical Officers and their parents attended the programme.
Important Highlights
- Newly appointed Medical Officers in Jammu and Kashmir received their appointment orders from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
- Abdullah urged doctors to serve in remote and underserved areas across the Union Territory.
- The Government aims to strengthen healthcare services at sub-district and district levels and reduce unnecessary referrals to Jammu and Srinagar.
- The Chief Minister assured doctors of efforts to improve infrastructure, connectivity and working conditions.
- Education and healthcare were identified as key pillars of Jammu and Kashmir’s development.
- The Government is also working to expand medical education capacity and improve access to medical education in the Union Territory.