SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah handed over appointment orders to newly appointed Medical Officers of the Department of Health & Medical Education at a ceremony held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here.
Personally handing over the appointment orders to the newly recruited Medical Officers appointed across Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister congratulated them on joining the J&K Government service and urged them to regard their appointment as the beginning of a new chapter dedicated to serving the people.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that the appointment marked the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance and sacrifice by the appointees and their families. “Today, a new chapter of your lives is about to begin. What you will write in this chapter and what you will leave for others to read is up to you,” he said, while acknowledging the contribution and sacrifices of the parents and families who supported the young doctors throughout their journey.
Recalling the rigorous journey from admission to medical college and completion of medical education, training, internship and recruitment, the Chief Minister said the newly appointed Medical Officers had earned their place through sustained effort. He, however, emphasised that joining government service brought with it a much greater responsibility, particularly in the health sector, where people approach doctors at some of the most difficult and vulnerable moments of their lives. “People have high expectations from you. In the most difficult of times, when people go in search of someone, they go in search of a doctor. Some people will reach you when they have given up all their hopes, and they will see the last ray of hope in you,” he said.
Urging the doctors to serve wherever they are posted, particularly in remote and underserved areas, the Chief Minister said that strengthening healthcare delivery at the grassroots was essential to reducing the burden on hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar.
He said that people should not have to travel from sub-district and district hospitals to the major cities for routine medical procedures and treatment.
“Normal deliveries, gallbladder and appendicitis surgeries—these should be available at the sub-district level, and at least at the district level where they cannot be provided at the sub-district level. But often we see patients being referred directly to Srinagar or Jammu,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the Government expected newly appointed doctors to help change this situation by providing quality and accessible healthcare closer to where people live.
At the same time, he acknowledged that doctors posted in remote areas would have legitimate expectations from the Government regarding infrastructure, connectivity and better working conditions.
“You will expect us to provide you with proper infrastructure so that you can carry out your duties properly. You will expect us to provide you with proper connectivity in the areas where we post you,” he said, assuring that the Government would continue working to improve service conditions and healthcare infrastructure.
The Chief Minister also shared an anecdote from his earlier interaction with newly appointed doctors to underline the need for a change in the mindset towards postings in remote areas, saying that even postings in relatively accessible places were sometimes viewed as difficult.
“We have to change the future of Jammu and Kashmir. To change the future, we are paying special attention to two things—education and health,” Omar Abdullah said.
He described education and health as the foundation for Jammu and Kashmir’s progress, saying that development in other sectors would not yield its full potential unless the people were educated and healthy.