Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 5: Senior BJP leader and former Health Minister Bali Bhagat today launched a scathing attack on Health Minister Sakina Itoo and the Omar Abdullah-led government, calling it a “defunct and insensitive administration” over the prolonged non-functional status of MRI services at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu.
Bhagat said it is shocking that for nearly six months, the MRI machines at GMC Jammu — the premier tertiary care hospital of the region — have remained out of order, leaving thousands of patients in distress.
He alleged gross negligence on the part of the Health Department, stating that patients from Jammu as well as border and hilly districts including Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua and other far-flung areas are being forced either to wait endlessly or seek expensive private diagnostic services.
“While six MRI machines are functioning in the Srinagar region, Jammu’s biggest Government hospital has been deprived of this critical facility. Is this not clear discrimination against Jammu?” Bhagat questioned.
The former Health Minister further highlighted the lack of adequate Cath Lab facilities and other essential diagnostic infrastructure, stating that cardiac, trauma, cancer and neurological patients are the worst sufferers. Delays in MRI scans can prove life-threatening in serious medical cases, he added.
Bhagat accused the Omar Government of ignoring repeated public concerns and failing to ensure equitable healthcare development across regions. “Healthcare cannot be selective. The step-motherly treatment being meted out to Jammu exposes the inefficiency of this defunct government,” he said.
He demanded immediate repair or replacement of the MRI machine at GMC Jammu, installation of a modern 1.5 Tesla MRI system, proper maintenance mechanisms, and accountability of officials responsible for the prolonged breakdown.
“People of Jammu will not tolerate discrimination in healthcare. The Health Minister must clarify why Jammu continues to suffer while facilities remain operational elsewhere,” Bhagat asserted.
He urged the administration to act without further delay to restore public trust and ensure equal medical facilities for all regions of J&K.
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