Drug misuse is a big problem in J&K’s health system, and there is a shortage of medical experts in the periphery.
November 11, Srinagar: Among the main issues facing J&K’s health sector are the scarcity of medical specialists in the province’s outlying districts and the limited existence of the private health sector, with the exception of the capital cities.
According to a recent government study, the child sex ratio of the former state of J&K fell precipitously from 941 in the 2001 Census to 862 in the 2011 Census.
But according to the research, “the most recent National Family Health Survey-5, which was released in 2020, has shown improvement in the sex ratio at birth in UT of J&K from 923 in 2015-16 to 976 in the year 2019-20; even the SRS data of 2020 has shown an increase of three points from 918 to 921.”
The research highlights that a significant obstacle for J&K’s health sector is the dearth of medical experts in the region’s outlying regions and the sparse presence of the private health sector, with the exception of the capital cities.
The government paper clarified newly emerging infectious illnesses and their variations, which are now posing a serious risk to the healthcare industry.
It states, “Diseases like Ebola, bird flu, swine flu, Zika, and coronavirus result in epidemic and pandemic form and are emerging at an unprecedented rate.” One of the main issues facing the health sector, according to the government study, is the rising incidence of non-communicable illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, anemia, and hypertension.
According to the official assessment, “one of the major threats to the health sector of J&K is drug abuse, especially among the youth, leading to health issues.”
The government study, however, highlighted certain significant advancements made by the department and noted that, as shown by many health surveys, some significant health metrics were becoming better every year.
The text states, “The SDG score has improved from 62 to 70 as per the NITI Aayog, GoI, and J&K has achieved global targets of U-5 Mortality Rate and Fully Immunized Children of 9–11 months.”
According to the study, 98 percent of households are enrolled under PMJAY-SEHAT, providing universal health care for the whole population, and the number of children who are completely immunized (12–23 months) is almost at saturation.
The statement said, “The national average is 69.4 years (SRS), but J&K has the highest life expectancy at birth in the nation at 74.1 years, right behind Delhi and Kerala.”
According to NFHS-5 statistics, the infant mortality rate (IMR) has decreased by 16 points to 16.3 per 1000 lives, even though J&K has already reached replacement-level fertility.
According to the study, “world-class infrastructure is coming up across all the regions of J&K, and the presence of health institutions has broadly been achieved as per IPHS norms.”
It states that since infrastructure and logistics have improved dramatically over the last several years, the Health Department is ready for a variety of illnesses and pandemics.
