Health plan for infants not used well in J&K

 A comprehensive plan for providing effective healthcare facilities to children has not been fully implemented by the Medical Education Department in Jammu and Kashmir, where over 1,400 children deaths have been reported since January last year.

The proposal, running into seven pages, was submitted on May 9 2011, to the Government Medical College, Srinagar, by the head of the G B Pant Children's Hospital, according to documents.

No action was taken in the department and suggestions of increasing faculty and doctors in the pediatrics wing, were unheard.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has announced several steps to improve the situation at the Valley’s only pediatrics hospital which included construction of a 200-bed hospital near the SMHS hospital.

Construction of a new 200-bedded Children Health Institute with provision to expansion of bed strength to 480 along with creation of super specialities in the department of pediatrics near Government Medical College Srinagar is among the key suggestions made.