NHM rankings: Need to improve further

In the monthly ranking of public health facilities on Hospital Management Information System (JK e Sahaj), the government has been highlighting the works done by the health institutions across Jammu & Kashmir and figuring them as per the rankings. However, it has been observed that most of the hospitals topping the list are from Jammu division while Kashmir hospitals are figured at second in the past few lists. Despite claiming to have been working with dedication, there is a need to ascertain what keeps the valley hospitals behind the Jammu hospitals as the rankings itself indicate that Jammu hospitals have been providing better health care facilities to the people than valley based hospitals. The concerned department needs to take proactive measures in this regard to ensure that the health care facilities are improved for the wellbeing of the patients visiting from far-off places. Furthermore, there is a need to compare the facilities and steps being taken in Jammu hospitals so that things can be improved. The improvement in rankings in the upcoming months, will simultaneously help poor patients to get better health care here. Moreover, the health department headed by Director Health Services Kashmir should constitute a team to check whether there is a need to come up with some unique and beneficial measures. There is always a scope for learning and improving, therefore, more efforts are needed to top the list in the upcoming months so that more benefits and facilities are ensured for the poor patients at the valley hospitals.