Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, informed the Legislative Assembly that the government is prioritizing the consolidation of existing healthcare facilities instead of constructing new infrastructure. The Minister shared this update in response to a question posed by Mushtaq Ahmad Guroo during the Assembly session.
In her reply, the Minister highlighted that, as per Government Order No: 628-HME of 2016, the NTPHC Barzulla was relocated to MMC Sanat Nagar in Srinagar, bringing along necessary assets and manpower. The center is currently operational, with working hours aligned with other institutions, from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Sakeena Itoo added that the MMC Sanat Nagar is housed in a G+1 structure, where the ground floor hosts the OPD and immunization services, while the first floor accommodates Youth Rehabilitation and Mental Healthcare facilities.
The Minister further emphasized that Jammu & Kashmir is focusing on the consolidation of approximately 4,000 healthcare institutions at various levels—Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary. J&K ranks highly among large states and Union Territories in terms of health institution density. According to a report by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), J&K has a health facility for every 3,500 people, compared to the national average of 6,000.
Looking ahead, the Minister mentioned that the government has future plans for the creation and upgrading of healthcare facilities, but these will be addressed once the austerity measures outlined in Government Order No. 10-F of 2025, imposed by the Finance Department, are lifted and critical gaps as per the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) are assessed.
