![Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd Sayeed laying foundation of Maternity and Paediatric Hospital at Bemina on Saturday. Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd Sayeed laying foundation of Maternity and Paediatric Hospital at Bemina on Saturday.](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/page323.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 17: In a significant move, Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today announced the conversion of Kashmir Nursing Home into a full-fledged Cancer Hospital, where medical and surgical treatment is already being provided by trained oncologists to the patients suffering from malignancies.
The hospital will continue to be associated with the Government Medical College, Srinagar.
The Chief Minister made this announcement today after visiting Kashmir Nursing Home where he interacted with a few cancer patients.
During his extensive visit of healthcare institutions in the city, he inaugurated several wards and attendant sarais at SKIMS Soura and launched the construction of two additional floors on the 550-bedded upcoming Maternity and Paediatric Hospital at Bemina, being constructed at a cost of Rs.75 crore.
Minister for Public Works, Floriculture, Gardens & Parks, Syed Altaf Bukhari, Minister of State for Power, I&C and H&UDD, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Minister for Health & Social Welfare, Aisea Naqash, Legislators, Noor Mohammad, Khurshid Alam and Anjum Fazili were also present on the occasion.
Immediately upon his arrival at SKIMS, Mufti Sayeed inaugurated the new state-of-the-art ICUs, which have been established at a cost of Rs.6.47 crore. With this addition, the bed capacity of the ICUs has enhanced from 12 to 38. He also inaugurated the expanded casualty wards, which has been provided facility of 50 more beds.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated new colorectal, haemodialysis and medical oncology and renal treatment wards at SKIMS. He also inaugurated two attendant sarais, constructed at a cost of Rs.11.33 crore, having capacity to accommodate 100 persons.
The Chief Minister instructed Director SKIMS, Dr. Showkat Zargar, to increase the frequency of renal transplant surgeries at the institute so that the critically-ill and poor patients requiring transplants are spared the agony of endless wait, which compels them to seek expensive treatment outside the State.
To overcome shortage of healthcare in paediatric health facilities in Kashmir, Mufti Sayeed said the construction of two additional floors at under-construction Maternity and Paediatric Hospital at Bemina will reduce pressure on Lal Ded and G.B. Panth Hospitals. He tasked R&B Department to complete the first phase of the project by next year.
The Chief Minister also advocated establishment of more nursing colleges so that the expert human resource is deployed to these institutions to be able to deliver best-possible healthcare services to the people.
Later, the Chief Minister visited the renovated and upgraded Casualty wards and Operation Theatre at Lal Ded Maternity Hospital, where he also interacted with the patients.