Srinagar, Sep 02: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday urged newly appointed Medical Officers to serve in remote and far-flung areas, saying people often see doctors as their “last ray of hope” during the most difficult moments of their lives.
Addressing a function at SKICC Srinagar after distributing appointment orders to newly appointed Medical Officers, the Chief Minister, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the decision of life and death was never in “your or my hands, nor will it ever be”.
“However, in the most difficult of times, when people search for someone to turn to, they look for a doctor. Some come to you after giving up all hope, seeing in you their last ray of light,” he said.
The Chief Minister said doctors may not prefer postings in distant areas after getting accustomed to the facilities and comforts of Srinagar or Jammu, but government service also carries an obligation to serve people living in remote regions.
He said doctors could not remain confined to urban centres and people in far-flung areas also had the right to access basic healthcare services.
The Chief Minister said one of the major challenges facing the healthcare system was the pressure on hospitals in Srinagar and Jammu, with patients often being referred to tertiary centres even for routine procedures.
“Our effort should be to serve the people. Routine procedures such as normal deliveries and surgeries for gallbladder and appendicitis should be performed at least at district hospitals, if not at sub-district hospitals. But we often see patients being referred from these hospitals to Srinagar,” he said.
Omar said the government would also have to fulfil its responsibility by improving infrastructure and service conditions for doctors posted in remote areas.
He said the newly appointed doctors had earned their positions through years of hard work, including medical education, training, internships and the recruitment process.
He also said the government was subsidising medical education in J&K and had increased intake capacity in medical colleges with the aim of producing more doctors—(KNO)
