Hospitals in Kashmir in dilapidated condition: Omar

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the dilapidated condition of hospitals and health department installations in the State was a "testimony to the collective failure" of the State and Central Governments in the aftermath of last year's floods.
"The fact that health care is suffering in flood affected areas because money hasn't been provided to repair the damaged machines and infrastructure at hospitals and health centers is an indictment of the failure of both the State and the Central Governments," Omar said while reviewing the functioning of the Health Sector in his assembly constituency Beerwah.
Omar, the National Conference (NC) working president, said the Government seems to have forgotten about the health sector in the state, which otherwise should have been its first priority.

"A year after the floods and six months into the present PDP-BJP Government's tenure, the condition of our hospitals and health centers indicates the indifference of the State Government and the Central Government towards the very basic areas of governance in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Our hospitals and health centers were ravaged with diagnostic equipment and machines rendered useless when floods swept through the State in September last year. This should have been the first priority of the PDP-BJP Government as primary health care is perhaps the most important responsibility of the administration. Sadly however the Government seems to have forgotten about the Health Sector," he said.

Omar announced over Rs 15 lakh for purchase of ambulance, construction of pit for bio-medical waste, purchase of emergency medicines, repair of dental unit, purchase of gas heaters and lighting gas, purchase of BP apparatuses and stethoscopes and purchase of delivery sets and dressing sets.
"While the state Government might be busy in its photo-shoots and fabricated press statements, the reality on the ground is beyond shocking. There is no sign of a Government and no semblance of governance in the State," Omar said.