In a major development which could prove a huge relief to hundreds of patients, Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday signed a MoU with Apollo Hospitals for the establishment of a multi-specialty hospital in Jammu region.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ranjan Prakash Thakur, J&K Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce department and Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd in presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The proposed super-specialty hospital having an initial capacity of 250 beds is expected to generate direct employment of more than 1000 persons and can be a huge relief for the patients from J&K who had to travel to Delhi and other parts of the country for such treatment facilities.
Well-known for clinical excellence, Apollo has a robust presence across the healthcare ecosystem, providing high-quality, patient-focused medical care.
Speaking on the occasion, LG Sinha observed the MoU is another major milestone for J&K. “We have embarked on a new journey of development and socio-economic growth, which will take J&K UT to levels never seen before”, he said and added with greater industry engagement and greater investment, J&K will grow from strength to strength in the years to come.
Sinha said that J&K was the only UT/State in the country with universal health insurance coverage for up to Rs. 5 lakh per family. “We are also having an extensive budget for the health sector,” he said and added more healthcare projects and MoUs are in the pipeline to ensure best healthcare within the reach of every citizen of the UT.
On the occasion Dr Reddy shared the vision of the Apollo hospitals to establish state-of-the-art health facilities in the UT. “We understand that the health sector creates vast job opportunities and this project will also generate more than 1000 direct employment. That is the responsibility which all of us collectively have set forth to discharge,” he said.
“Apart from this, it will also become the training centre not only for doctors, but also for the nurses, paramedics, technicians, and allied healthcare workers. Tomorrow when J&K would become a hub for healthcare tourism, people from the rest of the world can also be treated here. In a way, this project will help us heal the world,” she said.
“We are committed to bring specialists in various healthcare sectors on board. Trained health personnel are required to efficiently look after the people in need of medical attention. We are happy to bring a good standard of training, learning and skill in the health sector to J&K,” Dr Reddy added.
On August 5, 2019, the BJP government at the Center had justified the revocation of erstwhile state’s special status saying it had acted as an impediment to the development of J&K. The move to end J&K’s special status has created an opening for private players to invest in real estate and other developmental projects in the UT.
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