Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday assured the Jammu and Kashmir Government all help in restoring medical care facilities which has suffered a loss of over Rs. 150 crore loss due to ravaging floods in the State.
“The Union Minister assured all possible help and assistance to the J&K Government in restoring medical facilities in Kashmir Valley,” an official spokesman said after a review meeting attended by Dr. Vardhan and the State Health Minister Taj Mohiuddin here.
Dr. Vardhan, who arrived here on Tuesday, earlier visited all the hospitals of Srinagar and took stock of the damage caused to equipment and machinery, the spokesman said.
He visited the wards and surgical theatres of SMHS Hospital, Lal Ded Hospital, G. B. Pant Hospital and interacted with the patients and their attendants, he added.
Mr. Mohiuddin briefed the Union minister about the devastation caused to the health infrastructure in Kashmir Valley, particularly in the tertiary care hospitals.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has put the estimated damage to medical equipment in government hospitals at Rs. 150 crore.
Meanwhile, with a view to assessing the damage caused by the recent floods to medical infrastructure in Srinagar, Dr. Vardhan has asked two Delhi-based health officials to study the same and submit a report on Wednesday.
The health minister has asked Safdarjung Hospital Additional Medical Superintendent K.T. Bhowmick and Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences Medical Superintendent Shakti Gupta to submit a report on the damage to medical infrastructure in Srinagar, according to an official release.
On his second visit to the city after the devastating floods, the minister also toured Barzullah Bone and Joints Hospital and Skims Medical College Hospital.
“Expect Barzullah, the ground floor-level facilities in the other four hospitals have been destroyed by flood waters.
Vital departments like emergency and diagnostics and blood banks have to be rebuilt from scratch.
“At Skims, the radiology, ophthalmology, entire OPD and blood banks are gone. Similar destruction is visible at the other hospitals and they need 100 per cent rebuilding,” he said.
Dr. Vardhan said that at most places, he saw the doctors themselves working on cleaning up the mess left behind by receding flood waters.
“Local police constables are helping them everywhere. I was touched by the spirit of camaraderie evident in Srinagar in the post-floods scenario,” he said.
