J&K Chief Secretary Outlines Bold Roadmap to Upgrade Peripheral Hospitals into Full-Scale Tertiary Care Hubs

JAMMU, MARCH 29 — In a strategic move to decentralize specialized medical services, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has unveiled a comprehensive vision to transform Jammu & Kashmir’s newly established medical colleges and district hospitals into high-functioning tertiary care institutions.

During a high-level review meeting involving top health experts and administrative heads, the Chief Secretary emphasized that the heavy patient load on premier hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar must be eased by building robust healthcare capacities in peripheral regions.

This initiative aims to ensure that citizens across the Union Territory have equitable access to life-saving treatments much closer to their homes.

The strategic roadmap identifies six critical specialty areas that each new institution must prioritize in its initial phase: Trauma and Emergency Care, Critical Care (including ICUs, HDUs, and CCUs), Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, and Oncology.

To bridge the existing gap in specialized delivery, the Chief Secretary directed these emerging centers to work in close coordination with established “Centers of Excellence” like AIIMS Jammu and SKIMS.

This collaborative framework will include faculty pooling, resource sharing, and the creation of virtual medical boards to facilitate inter-institutional consultations, ensuring that even remote facilities benefit from top-tier expertise.

Beyond physical infrastructure, the government is leaning heavily on technology and education to sustain this expansion. Plans are underway to operationalize Tele-ICU and Tele-Radiology services to bolster diagnostic capabilities in rural areas.

Simultaneously, the Health & Medical Education Department, led by Commissioner Secretary M. Raju, is working to increase MBBS, postgraduate, and super-specialty seats to build a future-ready healthcare workforce.

By combining cutting-edge research, modernized academic practices like “grand rounds,” and a synchronized referral system, Jammu & Kashmir aims to create a sustainable, high-quality healthcare ecosystem for all its citizens.