Srinagar, Dec 06: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 4032 deaths due to various diseases including Covid-19 since 2021, the latest data shared by the government revealed.
These include five deaths due to AES, 29 deaths due to dengue, seven deaths due to human rabies, seven deaths due to meningitis, 53 deaths due to SRAI, and one death each due to typhus and typhoid.
Also, 2913 deaths due to COVID-19 were reported from 01st January 2021 to 02nd December 2024, and four deaths have been reported due to H1N1 during 2020-2024.
“Under the National Health Mission (NHM), funds are released to States/UTs under flexible pools on a lump sum basis, providing them with greater flexibility to utilize the funds based on their priorities,” the government said, adding that financial support is provided to States/UTs for the implementation of health programs, based on their proposals in the Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare supports States/UTs through various schemes, including the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP), National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), and National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP), all under the NHM, to prevent and control communicable diseases, it added.
Meanwhile, no deaths have been reported due to Hepatitis B in Jammu and Kashmir since 2018, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In a reply to a question in Parliament, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, said that no fatalities have occurred in Jammu and Kashmir due to Hepatitis B.
“Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes chronic liver disease and can lead to severe complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which can ultimately result in death,” she said.
Patel added that efforts to combat viral hepatitis, including Hepatitis B, are carried out through a coordinated approach between the central and state governments under the National Health Mission (NHM). The National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP), launched under NHM, employs various preventive strategies across the country, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
“These measures include universal screening of antenatal women to prevent vertical transmission, screening of high-risk groups and the general population, screening of all blood donors for Hepatitis B, and screening individuals undergoing surgical procedures,” the minister said.
Officials here said this success is due to the sustained efforts of the state health department in managing and treating the disease.
“Thousands of individuals across J&K have been screened and treated under programs like the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme, which provides free treatment and vaccination to those affected by the disease,” an official said.
He said despite these achievements, challenges remain, particularly in districts with limited testing facilities. “Further improvements are needed in healthcare infrastructure,” he added. (With KNO inputs)