Bilal Habib
Pampore, June 3: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare, and Education, Sakeena Itoo, on Tuesday inaugurated a Dialysis Unit at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Pampore, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the local population.
The newly inaugurated facility is expected to benefit patients suffering from chronic kidney ailments, who earlier had to travel to Srinagar for treatment, often facing delays due to overcrowded hospitals.
Accompanied by MLA Pampore and Retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi, MLA Rajpora Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Mir, and directors from the departments of Social Welfare, School Education, Health, and Ayush, the Minister said the unit will provide much-needed relief to patients and their families.
“This is a significant milestone for healthcare in the region. Local patients will now have access to dialysis treatment within Pampore itself,” she stated while speaking to the media.
She commended Justice Masoodi’s consistent efforts in advocating for the facility and acknowledged the work of government officers and the healthcare team for making the project possible.
“Since the formation of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government, we have remained focused on expanding healthcare and basic services to remote corners of J&K,” she added.
Earlier in the day, Minister Itoo visited Primary Health Centre (PHC) Kakapora, where she inspected infrastructure, staffing levels, and the availability of essential medical services. She directed officials to expedite ongoing construction work and ensure its timely completion.
She also interacted with patients and local residents, listening to their grievances and assuring them of swift redressal.
The Minister later visited Government Degree College (GDC) Pampore, where she launched ‘Shakh-e-Zafran’, a biannual college newsletter aimed at showcasing academic and extracurricular achievements. She inspected college infrastructure and emphasized the need for beautification of the campus, timely macadamization of roads, and improvement of drainage systems.
Sakeena Itoo also convened a high-level review meeting with senior officers of district administration. She assessed the implementation of flagship schemes, particularly those under Rural Development, Jal Shakti, Social Welfare, R&B, and Agriculture Departments.
She directed officials to clear pending applications related to old-age pensions, widow pensions, and marriage assistance schemes in a time-bound manner and called for better convergence of schemes across departments.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to inclusive development, the Minister said,
“The administration must ensure that the benefits of welfare schemes reach the most deserving sections without delay. Strengthening health and educational infrastructure is key to building a prosperous society.”
