Over 6,300 seats added in health education since 2019: Govt

Jammu, Feb 10: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has said that more than 6,300 seats have been added in the Health and Medical Education sector since 2019, marking a significant expansion of medical and allied health education infrastructure in the Union Territory.
According to official figures shared by the government, the expansion includes the addition of 1,225 MBBS seats across various medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir. In postgraduate medical education, 289 PG seats and 372 Diplomate of National Board seats have been created to strengthen specialist healthcare services and academic capacity.
The government further stated that major emphasis has been laid on nursing and paramedical education. As part of this effort, 4,253 seats have been added in BSc Nursing and paramedical courses, while 208 seats have been created for MSc Nursing programs to address the growing demand for trained healthcare professionals.
In addition to academic expansion, the government said that 3,168 Health and Wellness Centres have been operationalized across Jammu and Kashmir. These centres are aimed at improving access to primary healthcare services, particularly for locals in rural and underserved areas.
The government said the combined expansion of medical education seats and healthcare facilities is intended to improve doctor to population ratios, enhance skilled manpower availability, and strengthen the overall public health delivery system in the Union Territory. [KNT]