Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a crucial meeting with the Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department to assess the ongoing initiatives aimed at expanding medical education and improving healthcare infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting primarily focused on the steps being taken to increase the number of MBBS, Post-graduate (PG), and Post-Doctoral seats in the medical colleges established throughout the Union Territory.
Additionally, the Chief Secretary reviewed the upgradation of patient services and the completion of numerous health projects across J&K.
During the meeting, Chief Secretary Dulloo enquired about the steps taken by each Medical College Principal to add new specialisations such as MD/MS, DM/MCH, and DNB to their respective institutions. He urged the Principals of the seven newly established Medical Colleges to work towards adding 50 additional MBBS seats to the current intake capacity of 100 per college. Dulloo emphasized that they should fully utilize existing infrastructure and manpower to achieve this goal and also focus on adding more specialized courses.
He stressed the need for a comprehensive action plan to upgrade tertiary care services in all newly established Medical Colleges and District Hospitals over the next year. The Chief Secretary assured the institutions of full government support for the necessary upgrades, urging them to make optimal use of available resources.
Dulloo also reviewed the human resources available at each Medical College and called for the prompt filling of unfilled teaching vacancies. He highlighted the importance of filling Professor-level positions through the proper channels, as qualified faculty is crucial to the expansion of both services and medical courses.
The Chief Secretary reviewed the status of key IT-driven healthcare services in J&K, such as Tele-ICU, e-Sanjeevani, Tele Radiology, e-Sahaj, and Scan & Share. He urged the department to fast-track the adoption of these technologies to ensure seamless and universal access to health services. He also suggested that remote districts be linked to GMCs under the Tele-ICU program to reduce the need for patient referrals and improve critical care access.
The Chief Secretary also reviewed the progress of several major healthcare infrastructure projects under development in the region. These include the completion of new Medical Colleges, the additional block at LD Hospital, State Cancer Institutes in Jammu and Srinagar, R.N Chopra Nursing Home Jammu, the Labour Block at SMGS Hospital, MCH Lamberi, District Hospital at Reshipora (Budgam), and critical care blocks under the PM ABHIM and ECRP programs. Dulloo inquired about the physical progress of these projects and the estimated completion timelines.
Secretary H&ME, Dr. Syed Abid Rashid Shah, informed the meeting that the Department had applied to the National Medical Commission (NMC) for 213 PG seats, 88 DNB seats, and 28 DM/MCH seats for the 2025-26 academic session. He expressed optimism about receiving the necessary approvals, as the department is actively following up at the highest levels.
Regarding the addition of 50 MBBS seats in the new GMCs, Dr. Shah explained that this would be taken up for the next academic session after necessary upgrades in human resources and infrastructure are completed. Proposals from GMC Baramulla, Anantnag, and Kathua for this expansion have already been received.
The Chief Secretary concluded the meeting by reiterating the government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure and education in Jammu and Kashmir. He urged all departments to work in synergy to ensure that the proposed expansions and upgrades are completed within the stipulated timelines, ultimately contributing to better healthcare delivery and medical education in the region.