Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Jan 12: As the advanced, World Bank-supported additional block of the Bone and Joint Hospital in Barzulla nears its inauguration, the essential staff to operate the facility is still missing.
Sources familiar with the situation informed Excelsior that approximately 250 positions—mainly for paramedics—were identified nearly a year ago. Yet, these positions have not been approved or advertised for recruitment thus far.
“These roles encompass paramedical staff, doctors, security personnel, and nursing orderlies. While recruitment progress has been minimal, the decision has been made to fulfill the need for security and nursing orderlies through outsourcing,” they remarked.
Importantly, the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) states that the additional block of the hospital, built under the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) with World Bank funding, is complete and currently undergoing trials prior to its opening.
However, the absence of staff, despite the completion of the new block, raises concerns regarding the facility’s operational capabilities.
Excelsior has learned that the Finance Department has raised multiple inquiries about the suggested positions, which have been responded to, yet the final approval is still awaited, even though the inauguration could occur at any moment.
Doctors have emphasized that the additional block is intended as an extension rather than a replacement of the existing infrastructure, devised to enhance the hospital’s overall functionality.
They highlighted that the anticipated staffing is vital for its success. “Relying solely on current staff or borrowing personnel from other hospitals to fill the gaps is not a sustainable approach. The staffing process needs to be expedited,” they advised.
As for equipment—a crucial aspect of the additional block, as doctors aim to expand specialty surgeries once operational—officials confirmed that most of the equipment is already installed, with the remaining items being procured.
Officials from the R&B Department, acting as the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), reiterated that the additional block is finished.
They noted that while a majority of the equipment is in place, procurement for the remaining items is still ongoing.
Previously, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, alongside Cabinet Minister Sakina Itoo, visited the hospital and set a deadline for operationalizing the additional block by January.
However, this deadline is likely to be missed, as doctors indicated that the trial run of the block might require more time than originally expected.
They cautioned that even if the block is inaugurated without the necessary staffing, “its functionality may not meet expectations.”
