HC seeks status report on availability of doctors, PET scan machines in J&K hospitals

The court’s directive
came while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that seeks judicial
intervention to improve basic healthcare services for cancer treatment in Jammu
and Kashmir, reports Greater Kashmir. The division bench, comprising Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and
Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi, requested Advocate General D. C. Raina to assist
in the proceedings. The case has been scheduled for further hearing on July 16.

“Keeping in view the
importance of the issue, we request the learned Advocate General to assist the
Court in the matter and file a brief status report with regard to appointment
of doctors and installation of PET Scan machines,” said the Court. 

The petition, filed in
2017, calls for the government to ensure the availability of sufficient
oncologists, onco-surgeons, and PET scan machines necessary for the treatment
of various cancers. The court’s decision to seek a detailed report highlights
the pressing need for enhanced cancer care infrastructure and professional
medical support in the region.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that in a significant move to enhance the quality of medical education and streamline the faculty structure, the Administrative Council of Jammu and Kashmir, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, approved the implementation of a 3-Tier Faculty Structure in Government Medical Colleges and Super Specialty Hospitals in both Jammu and Srinagar. This decision aligns with the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) guidelines and mirrors the system in the new Government Medical Colleges in J&K.

The approved reform involves the upgrading of 287 Lecturer positions to Assistant Professors, ensuring adherence to the minimum teacher eligibility qualifications in medical institutes mandated by the NMC.