JAMMU, Sept 26: Despite being a major healthcare hub catering to 10 districts, Jammu still does not have a dedicated Trauma Hospital. Over 80% of trauma patients from the region are compelled to rush to Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh or Delhi for treatment, losing precious golden hours and increasing the financial burden on their families.
The absence of a trauma centre came into sharp focus after the Chashoti cloudburst incident, where several critically injured patients had to be shifted outside J&K due to lack of a comprehensive multi-specialty facility in Jammu. Experts argue that the hilly and accident-prone districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Reasi, Kathua, and Samba desperately require a state-of-the-art trauma centre.
A senior orthopaedic doctor at GMC Jammu said that trauma patients often suffer multi-system injuries that require orthopedics, neurosurgery, general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, and emergency medicine under one roof — something currently unavailable in Jammu. He questioned the decision to sanction a Bone and Joint Hospital instead of a full-fledged trauma centre.
Former J&K Health Minister and MLA Sham Lal Sharma reiterated that a Trauma Centre is urgently needed in Jammu, especially along the accident-prone stretches of NH-44 and Chenab Valley roads. He said many victims lose their lives while being transported hundreds of kilometres outside J&K.
Officials from the Health and Medical Education Department confirmed that a proposal for establishing a trauma centre in Jammu is under discussion and may soon be forwarded to the Government. Social activists and doctors have urged authorities to act swiftly, noting that the so-called trauma units at Vijaypur and Ramban are non-functional due to lack of staff and equipment.
A senior GMC Jammu administrator said, “Until a dedicated Trauma Hospital is built, patients will continue to travel outside J&K, losing valuable time and lives. There is also a shortage of staff and operation theatres for emergency surgeries beyond normal working hours.”
Healthcare experts argue that creating a multi-story Trauma Centre near Bone and Joint Hospital, Bakshi Nagar, would help save lives and prevent financial distress for thousands of families across Jammu division.
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Labels: Jammu, Healthcare, Trauma Care, GMC Jammu, Public Health
Tags: #Jammu #TraumaHospital #HealthcareGap #NH44Accidents #PublicHealth
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