Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Health & Medical Education Bali Bhagat has said the government is building huge infrastructure with a focus on providing patient care in the 4400 health institutions across the state.Winding up discussion on the Demand for Grants of the Health and Medical Education Department and responding to issues raised by the members in the Legislative Assembly last night, the Minister said strengthening of diagnostic and infrastructural facilities with adequate staff is being flagged as top priority.

He said J&K has a unique topography, scattered population in hilly areas, even with such odds the department has been making constant efforts to improve the services.

For overcoming the paucity of manpower, the Minister said that 656 vacancies, including doctors and specialists have been referred to the Pubic Service Commission (PSC), while 1,471 doctors have been engaged under National Health Mission (NHM) to supplement the services at different levels.

Listing the major initiatives taken to give further fillip to the health services, he said "The work on establishment of AIIMS at Awantipora in Kashmir and Vijaypur in Jammu is being expedited besides, works on all 5 Medical Colleges being established at Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Kathua & Rajouri is in full swing,? he said.

He said the government has created 3,375 posts of doctors, faculty members, para-medics and other ministerial staff for the new Colleges and also referred these to the recruitment agencies concerned.

"Medical Council of India has enhanced the intake capacity of PG seats in the state from 184 to 251 which is also a significant achievement of the government?, he added.

To further strengthen the health infra, work on 61 hospital projects out of 113 ongoing projects across the state stands completed during 2016-17, he said.

The Minister further informed that work on construction of 2 State level Cancer Institutions at the cost of Rs 120.00 crore each to be established at SKIMS Soura, Srinagar and GMC, Jammu is under execution.

He said that Rs 13.47 crore has also been released by the GoI to procure 136 Basic Life Support (BSL) ambulances for the state.

Moreover, the Health department has also purchased 24 Critical Care Ambulances during 2016-17 which have been pressed into service to provide emergency ambulance services to the people.

For strengthening the infrastructure of food laboratories in the state, the government has procured 5 fully equipped Mobile Food Testing Vans during 2017-18.

"This significant move has helped the Food Control Organisation to undertake testing of food articles in the rural and far-flung areas. These vans have been deployed in twin capital cities to reduce the food adulteration, he added.

The drug testing laboratories are also being upgraded under central assistance, the Minister said, adding that the Modern Drug & Food Testing Laboratory at Lakhanpur, Kathua has been proposed to be established through Central Assistance at a cost of Rs 34.00 crore.