{"id":2914,"date":"2025-11-03T18:08:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T18:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/?p=2914"},"modified":"2025-11-03T18:08:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T18:08:08","slug":"staff-shortage-hits-gmc-baramulla","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/2025\/11\/03\/staff-shortage-hits-gmc-baramulla\/","title":{"rendered":"Staff shortage hits GMC Baramulla"},"content":{"rendered":"

Srinagar, Nov 03:\u00a0<\/strong>Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla\u2019s associated hospital \u2014 the largest tertiary care facility in north Kashmir \u2014 continues to operate without two critical diagnostic and emergency care services: an MRI unit and a cardiac catheterisation laboratory (Cath Lab). Alongside this, nearly 200 key posts remain vacant, severely affecting day-to-day functioning, sources said.<\/p>\n

Officials said that the absence of these services not only delays treatment but forces hundreds of patients daily to travel to Srinagar, losing crucial time during emergencies.<\/p>\n

“Due to the staff shortage, the institution is struggling to manage routine functioning. Departments are overstretched and patients are bearing the brunt,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

Doctors said that although a cardiology unit is functional at GMC Baramulla, patients experiencing chest pain or heart attacks have to be shifted to Srinagar \u2014 to SMHS or SKIMS \u2014 for angiography and angioplasty.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first hour after a heart attack is known as the golden hour. A delay of even 30\u201340 minutes can decide life or death,\u201d said a doctor.<\/p>\n

According to CDC data, nearly 47% of deaths due to sudden cardiac arrest occur before a patient even reaches a hospital.<\/p>\n

Doctors added that a fully functional cath lab at Baramulla could save dozens of lives every year.<\/p>\n

Locals from Baramulla and Kupwara districts said the absence of an MRI facility at the government hospital has pushed patients to private diagnostic centres, where rates are unaffordable for many.<\/p>\n

Zameer Ahmad, a patient from Baramulla, said he recently had to spend nearly Rs 6,000.<\/p>\n

“Doctors advised an MRI. But since GMC doesn\u2019t have one, I had no choice. Not everyone can afford private diagnostic centres,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Residents said there are around 700 health facilities in three districts of north Kashmir \u2014 but not a single government hospital has an MRI facility. \u201cWe are left with no option but to travel to Srinagar or go to private labs. This is unjust,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

Senior health officials said that the government has already taken up the matter of filling vacant posts.<\/p>\n

They also confirmed that MRI procurement and Cath Lab installation have been included in this year\u2019s budgeted works.<\/p>\n

\u201cProvision for an MRI machine at GMC Baramulla has been taken up during the current financial year. JKMSCL has been authorised to procure it. Installation will begin once the rate contract is finalised and funds are released,\u201d an official told KNO.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cIn the first phase, four new GMCs are being covered; the remaining three will be taken up next financial year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regarding the Cath Lab, the official said that the Cath Lab project at GMC Baramulla has been sanctioned at Rs 12.50 crore this year. Funds worth Rs 9.37 crore have already been released to JKMSCL.\u201d\u2014(KNO)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Srinagar, Nov 03:\u00a0Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla\u2019s associated hospital \u2014 the largest tertiary care facility in north Kashmir \u2014 continues to operate without two critical diagnostic and emergency care services: an MRI unit and a cardiac catheterisation laboratory (Cath Lab). Alongside this, nearly 200 key posts remain vacant, severely affecting day-to-day functioning, sources said. Officials […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2914"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2916,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2914\/revisions\/2916"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}