J&K government has decided to develop GB Pant Hospital into a comprehensive general healthcare facility, and not as a Chest Diseases Hospital, MLA Lal Chowk Ahsan Pardesi said today. He said the hospital will serve a large catchment population and address the long-standing demand for expanded medical services for people living in the area.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of inauguration of UPHC Lasjan, the MLA said, primary and secondary healthcare facilities network in J&K need to be strengthened in order to improve access to healthcare. He urged people to display patience and support the Government in its efforts to improve healthcare delivery. “All the shortfalls and lacunae cannot be filled at once. We are committed to working on all of the lacunae, and our efforts will deliver in a time-bound manner,” he said.
Asked about GB Pant Hospital, he said the building in Sonwar, that housed Children Hospital before it was shifted to Bemina, has been lying unused. He said the move to put this use of healthcare to use is part of a broader plan to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve access to quality treatment. Pardesi said patients across multiple areas of Srinagar can avail treatment and services at GB Pant Hospital, which the Government is planning to develop as a General Hospital. The facility is expected to provide a wide range of medical services under one roof, and ease the burden on other overstretched hospitals in the City.
He also ruled out the proposed relocation of the Chest Diseases Hospital to the GB Pant premises. Speaking on the issue, Pardesi said that technical constraints make the shifting “non-feasible”. He noted that the specialized requirements for treating respiratory illnesses, including infrastructure and isolation protocols cannot be accommodated in the existing structure. “We have had many meetings in this regard with the Health minister and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also been updated on this issue,” he said.
Many healthcare experts have welcomed the decision to retain dedicated facilities for chest diseases at Dalgate Srinagar while underlining an urgent need for a major infrastructure and equipment overhaul. They emphasized that a Specialty Hospital like CD Hospital needs tailored infrastructure and planning to effectively manage infectious and chronic respiratory conditions.
The GB Pant Building at Sonwar earlier housed Children Hospital and Ante-Natal and Post-Natal services from Lal Ded Hospital. It also had maternity services running partially, to serve needs in the catchment area.
