Accessible, affordable, equitable healthcare should be our prime objective: Lt Guv

Srinagar, Aug 29: The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha inaugurated the 3rd edition of the CII Jammu & Kashmir Health Conclave Saturday.
The Lieutenant Governor emphasised the transformative vision of “Health Services Anytime, Anywhere” and highlighted the role of innovation, resilience and inclusive growth in shaping the future of healthcare.
Extending best wishes to Ujala Cygnus for its new initiative, the “Peace and Wellbeing Foundation,” the Lieutenant Governor noted that the conclave is a platform for discussion and a collective opportunity to redefine healthcare delivery in Jammu Kashmir and other states.
Citing the example of an ASHA worker using tele-consultation to connect patients in remote villages with district hospitals, the Lieutenant Governor said that telemedicine is a revolutionary step that eliminates geographical barriers. He stressed that technology must serve humanity, ensuring that even the most remote communities have access to timely medical care.
The Lieutenant Governor said that modern tools should inspire solutions for easy accessibility of best possible healthcare to all the citizens. He urged stakeholders to make Jammu Kashmir a laboratory for low-cost, high-impact innovations such as drone-based delivery of medical supplies and solar-powered cold chains for high-altitude health centres.
The Lieutenant Governor outlined three pressing challenges confronting global health systems including rising healthcare expenditure. He called for a shift towards prevention, early intervention and regular screening to reduce dependence on costly treatments.
“We need to move beyond a system that treats illness to one that protects and promotes health. We must prioritise regular screening, easy access to primary healthcare services and timely treatment,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He also emphasized expanding training capacity, supporting wellbeing of medical staff and leveraging telemedicine to extend reach.
“We need to expand training capacity in medical and nursing education and ensure access to health services in rural and remote areas through telemedicine. Most importantly, we must also take care of the wellbeing of our health workers. Better staffing, reduced administrative burden and mental-health support are fundamental requirements of a strong health system,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister, Narendra Modi accessibility, affordability and universal insurance coverage has been ensured and health inequality has been eliminated.
“Under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, efforts are being made to link health records across the country through a secure digital system. This will enable any authorised doctor, wherever they may be, to access a patient’s health history within moments. At the same time, patients retain control over who can view their information and how much information they can access,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor noted significant progress in Jammu Kashmir’s healthcare infrastructure including 2 new AIIMS institutions, 10 new medical colleges, 2 State Cancer Institutes, specialized hospitals including Bone & Joint and Paediatric facilities, 52 nursing colleges, 23 paramedical colleges and 5 pharmacy colleges, which are historic steps towards social justice and equitable healthcare.
The Lieutenant Governor urged the conclave to deliberate on key priorities of developing modern primary health centres in every village linked to district networks, harnessing AI for early detection of diseases while supporting doctors’ decisions, strengthening disease surveillance, genomic capacity, and local manufacturing of diagnostic kits and building a robust health workforce through nursing and paramedical institutions, continuous skill development and strong collaboration between government and private sector.
“Private hospitals and industries associated with the health sector must also join this effort, recognising it as an important task of nation-building. I believe that the strongest health systems are those in which the government and the private sector work together for public welfare, combining their capabilities, speed and innovation,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor reiterated that the true measure of success lies in improved lives. He envisioned a future where families in Kupwara need not travel hours for routine care, workers in Rajouri are free from financial fear and medical graduates can build their careers within the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir.
“Advanced treatment and modern health facilities must be accessible to all so that we may establish the principles of social justice and equality. The health of an individual or a family affects opportunities, productivity and overall well-being of the society,” he said.
Iqram Ali Shafiee, Chairman, CII J&K UT Council; Dr. Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala Cygnus Hospitals; Siddhant Choudhary, Vice Chairman, CII J&K; Dr. Pervez Ahmad Sofi and Arafat Ahmad Bhat, Members, Board of Directors, Peace and Wellbeing Foundation; Sajad Hussain Lone, members of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and healthcare professionals attended the inaugural ceremony.
Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar and senior officials were also present.