7 lakh patients visit OPDs in Kashmir hospitals in August: J-K govt

Nearly 7 lakh patients have visited Out Patient Department (OPDs) in Kashmir hospitals in August this year with the healthcare institutions successfully performing nearly 49,000 major and minor surgeries, an official release said on Tuesday.

"The data compiled by Health and Medical Education Department, for the month of August 2019 reveals that 46,449 patients have visited indoor patient departments (IPDs) in various government-run healthcare institutions--while as doctors successfully performed 4,334 major and 44,236 minor surgeries respectively in peripheral and tertiary care hospitals," read the release of Jammu and Kashmir government.

The official data revealed that 2,508 normal deliveries were conducted in August, while as 3,266 (LSCS) Caesarian sections were also performed across Kashmir hospitals.

"The data further reveals that 4,87,306 lab investigations were done in various hospitals including Shere-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, SKIMS, Bemina, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Health Services, Kashmir, Dental College, Srinagar with 28345 USGs, 5140, CT Scans, 660 MRIs, 45261 X-rays/ dental X-rays. Also 42,022, dental procedures were done for the month in Srinagar," read the release.

In order to facilitate the smooth functioning of the healthcare institutions across the Kashmir region, the Heath and Medical Education Department provided facilities to the renal patients.

"1,078 dialysis procedures were done during August 2019," read the release.

Meanwhile, the officials the department informed that there is no shortage of essential drugs across hospitals in Kashmir region.

Several restrictions were imposed in Jammu and Kashmir last month after the government scrapped some provisions of Article 370. However, the administration has been lifting restrictions in a phased manner.