The approach of the government should be to ensure all the modern healthcare facilities in the hospitals in Jammu region so that referral cases moving out of UT become minimal as frequent sorties by the flock of ambulances ferrying patients to other states tells the sordid tale of region's abysmal healthcare sector.
Although no one could deny that the incumbent regime under the dynamic leadership of LG Manoj Sinha has taken several remarkable steps to improve the healthcare scenario but the ambulances carrying away the patients instead of taking them to Jammu's hospitals shows the ground reality that hospitals in Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, etc are far better than those providing healthcare in Jammu region.
The sight of ambulances ferrying patients from Jammu's hospitals to neighbouring states paints a grim picture of the region's healthcare system, despite the government's concerted efforts to improve it. While initiatives such as upgrading medical infrastructure, recruiting more staff, and establishing new health facilities have been undertaken especially during the time of pandemic COVID-19, the frequent transfer of a good number of patients out of the Union Territory highlights persistent gaps in specialized care and advanced medical services.
Many hospitals in Jammu lack the necessary equipment, advanced treatments, and specialized personnel to handle complex cases, forcing patients to seek treatment elsewhere. This not only places an emotional and financial burden on patients and their families but also raises questions about the region's ability to provide adequate healthcare within its borders. The government must address these shortcomings by prioritizing investments in state-of-the-art medical facilities, training specialists, and ensuring that hospitals in Jammu are fully equipped to treat a broad range of conditions.
It is good that the government is working with utter dedication and it is also the fact that changes cannot be made overnight but what is important is that those helming the affairs of the healthcare sector in the region should always keep one thing in mind that until and unless the shifting of patients would continue from Jammu's hospitals to other states, they will have to keep on working as this is a good mean to judge the status of healthcare sector in Jammu region.
All said and done, the aim should be to stop this trend and try to achieve a vice versa in this matter so that patients from other states should make it a priority to visit Jammu's hospitals for better treatment.
