Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has laid out an ambitious vision to transform the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, into a full fledged quaternary care facility and Centre of Excellence, calling for sweeping upgrades across patient care, infrastructure, specialised services, medical education and research.
Dulloo outlined the roadmap while chairing the Standing Finance Committee meeting of SKIMS on Saturday, the first such meeting to be convened in more than five years, with the previous sitting having taken place in August 2021. The long gap between meetings had left several institutional proposals pending, making Saturday’s session a significant one for the hospital’s future planning.
Addressing the SKIMS administration, the Chief Secretary called for higher institutional benchmarks and stronger capabilities in super specialty health care, advanced medical technology, medical education and cutting edge research. He directed officials to prepare a comprehensive roadmap covering patient care, infrastructure, equipment, human resources and specialised services, with the explicit goal of ensuring that patients from Jammu and Kashmir no longer need to travel outside the region for advanced, highly specialised treatment.
Dulloo also stressed the importance of SKIMS keeping pace with the latest treatment protocols and medical technologies, and continuously benchmarking itself against the country’s leading healthcare institutions, particularly in emerging areas such as cancer care.
Among the initiatives considered at the meeting were the augmentation of emergency services through a dedicated Emergency Block, the establishment of a Trauma Care Centre and an Organ Transplant Unit, and the creation of a dedicated OPD Block. The committee also cleared the creation of posts for the State Cancer Institute and approved measures to strengthen the departments of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, along with Nursing and Medical Technology. Internship programmes for B.Sc. and M.Sc. Nursing students were also approved to provide structured clinical training.
Financial Commissioner Shailendra Kumar reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting SKIMS, while Commissioner Secretary for Health and Medical Education M. Raju praised the institute’s leadership for its work in patient care, academics and research. SKIMS Director Prof. Mohd. Ashraf Ganie presented a broader institutional expansion vision covering tertiary and quaternary care, specialised human resources and modern medical technology integration.
The committee reiterated its commitment to providing full administrative and financial backing for the timely rollout of these priority projects.
