Jammu Healthcare Upgrade: 243-Bedded MCC Facility at SMGS Hospital Revolutionizes Neonatal Care

Jammu, Mar 27: During the Question Hour of the ongoing 2026 Budget Session, Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo announced that the newly established 243-bedded Maternal and Child Care (MCC) facility at SMGS Hospital has triggered a significant leap in neonatal and perinatology services for the Jammu region.

Replying to a query raised by Legislator Yudhvir Sethi, the Minister detailed how this high-capacity utility has not only expanded newborn care and maternal health services but has also effectively reduced the waiting periods for planned surgeries.

As a premier tertiary care center specializing in Gynecology, Pediatrics, ENT, and Dermatology, SMGS Hospital continues to serve as a vital lifeline for critically ill patients referred from peripheral districts across the province.

Addressing infrastructure and diagnostic gaps, Sakeena Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly that while MRI services are currently managed via Government Medical College Hospital, a major breakthrough is underway through a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has agreed in principle to provide a dedicated MRI scanner for SMGS Hospital, with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) slated for immediate submission. Furthermore, to combat parking congestion, the Health Department is actively pursuing a proposal for a multi-tier car parking facility in coordination with the Jammu Municipal Corporation and the Jammu Smart City Project.

These institutional upgrades, combined with the strategic hiring of medical staff on an academic arrangement basis to fill existing vacancies, underscore the government’s mission to drastically reduce the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) through modernized patient-care services.